Angel Sight
by Preferably
Summary: Miss Parker and Jarod begin to unravel their importance to the Centre and the Triumvirate.
1. Christmas Gifts

**Angel Sight: Christmas Gifts**

_Disclaimer: _I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made.

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Carthis, December 2001_

**Dickens, Vermont**

Ms. Parker, Sydney, and Broots got out of their car which had stopped in a fantasy or more appropriately phrased by Sydney, 'Winter Wonderland'.

The quaint little Vermont town was alive with not just Christmas décor and lights but everyone in town was dressed and acted as though they were part of a Dickens novel.

"Man, this is just like the life size version a Christmas village you set up on your dining room table."

"Only thing that's missing is Scrooge." Miss Parker commented bitterly.

Sydney smiled in spite of himself. "Well, I do believe you are an apt substitute Miss Parker."

Miss Parker's cocked her head. "Keep it up, Freud. I won't be renewing your subscription to Abnormal Psychology Today for Christmas. C'mon, let's find this accounting firm. I'm sure Boy Genius has left a doozy of a present there.

Soon the three of them were standing outside of **Scrooge & Marley CPA, PA.**

"You have got to be kidding! Even I wouldn't let these guys do my taxes!" Broots exclaimed.

"Let's get it over with!" Miss Parker sighed.

Jake Marley was very helpful to the three. He told them that Jarod had been up to his old tricks helping to expose a fake Christmas charity and redirected the money so that it did indeed go to needy children.

"That's our boy!" Miss Parker said quietly as she flipped through Jarod's red notebook.

Sydney got close and whispered in her ear so no one else could hear. "You sound as if you're almost proud of him."

Miss Parker only closed the notebook and handed it Sydney.

"Anyway Jarod said that a Miss Parker would be picking up some papers. So I left them in the conference room. You can take a look at them in there."

Miss Parker started to follow Marley and noticed that Sydney and Broots weren't behind her.

"You're not coming?"

"He only said, 'Miss Parker'" Broots claimed uncomfortably.

Sydney bolstered Broots' assertion, "I've learned over the years that when Jarod only indicates one of us to browse something he means it to be a personal thing."

Miss Parker was suddenly nervous but just nodded and entered the conference room.

It was the typical mahogany wood conference room with huge library shelves climbing the walls. On the table, sat a small box marked, "Ghost of Christmas Past." She sat down in front of the box and also saw a file folder marked, "Ghost of Christmas Present"

"Well who am I to skip the proper order."

She opened the small box and immediately gasped when she saw a small red book with gold lettering.

**_Catherine Parker's Diary._**

An immediate ball of pain rose in her gut that Jarod would keep this from her. She pulled it from the box like a child grabbing at its favorite toy at Christmas. She was unable to stem the tear rolling down her cheek.

"Damn you!"

Then she saw the card with Jarod's distinctive handwriting. She picked it up.

_Miss Parker,_

_I must admit it was never my intention to keep your mother's diary from you as long as I have. But after everything we experienced recently… I felt a need to put this right between us. Please read this diary and know that your Mother's thoughts and feelings only confirm what we both know- her desire for you to get away from the Centre._

_Jarod_

Miss Parker swallowed hard knowing he was right. But avoiding that subject for now she turned her attention to the "Ghost of Christmas Present" She opened the file folder and found only an airline ticket to Montreal under the name Katerina Patrovna. The ticket was one way for Jan 3rd, her birthday. Another note card was attached.

_Miss Parker,_

_Maybe you'll forgive an old friend for being presumptuous? Perhaps it's time for a New Year's Resolution? A turning point?_

_Yours truly, _

_Someone to turn to_

Parker was breathless. "You don't mess around, do you? But something is missing here Jarod. Where's the Ghost of Christmas Future?"

She didn't answer her own question. Perhaps Jarod was hoping the future was with him. She closed her eyes and focused on the voice in her head.

_Trust Jarod trust Jarod _

"Easy for you to say, Mom." Miss Parker said as she twisted the diamond ring on finger. After gathering herself together and her new gifts, she left the room and found Sydney and Broots. "I don't think there's anything else here. Ready to go back to Blue Cove?"

"I know I am. Debbie and I haven't had chance to put up the tree yet." Broots complained and went to get the car.

Miss Parker and Sydney laughed.

Noticing a softer Parker, "Are you alright, Miss Parker?"

"I'm fine, Syd." She thanked him with touch to his arm and escorted him out.

**Knight, Healy, Lytle & Ross**

**Blue Cove, Delaware**

Jarod had slid very comfortably into the clothes of an attorney and gone to see Mr. Parker's former attorneys.

"Mr. Healy, please understand that as Miss Parker's personal representative we believe we have waited long enough for her father's will to be read. She said that I should make it perfectly clear that now weeks after his death any further stalling would not be tolerated and would be met with legal action."

Well I suppose it would be possible to let you browse the will. But copies will not be allowed. His son, Mr. Lyle hasn't even seen the will yet.

Jarod rolled his eyes discreetly, knowing Lyle had orchestrated cutting his sister out of the loop. "Of course."

He was led to the man's office. When Mr. Parker's will was put before him, Jarod got the small digital camera ready in his pocket. He'd been ready for just this circumstance. And like any true special effects man he had a special mixture of Dinty Moore Beef Stew and Milk of Magnesia ready to go.

The look on Healy's face was priceless as Jarod ran after 'pretending' to upchuck the mixture on the man's office floor. Jarod ran for the attorney's private bathroom and asked the attorney to get him a glass of water and an alka seltzer.

While he was gone, Jarod browsed the contents of the will and quickly took pictures of each page. To Mr. Healy's knowledge he left that day without even seeing the will.

Jarod easily entered Miss Parker's Summer House as he had on many occasions. "Breaking in more likely," he mused to himself, "She really should just leave me a key."

Instead of just leaving his gift, Jarod decided to look around. Unpacked Christmas ornaments scattered all around a bare tree caught his attention. They had little tags with the date and creator's signature, 'MP' attached, obviously made for her mother and father in her childhood.

Unfortunately there were also empty bottles around discarded recently. Jarod picked up one of the bottles.

"Scotch. I see your taste hasn't changed." He sighed heavily.

It was then he noticed the small white fur on the table and red glitter on the table. "Never pegged you for an arts and crafts kind of girl, Miss Parker."

A small rabbit ornament lay on its side. It seemed to be drying. On the belly of the rabbit, Miss Parker had written with a red glitter pen, 'J, Christmas 1996'

That made Jarod grin ear to ear. He guessed that Miss Parker bought this new ornament knowing she could no longer safely keep the rabbit he gave her with her traveling schedule. But she had memorialized his gift and cherished it. Jarod fingered the soft fur of the ornament as though it were the real rabbit. Reminded of the lonely children who shared each other's company that day.

Then Jarod was ready to deliver his last gift. He took the copies of Mr. Parker's will in a file marked "Ghost of Christmas Future" from his jacket and set it on her coffee table. So that she wouldn't miss it, he set "Jarod Bunny" ornament on top.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Parker." He said and let himself out the way he'd come.


	2. Eyes on the Prize

**Angel Sight: Eyes on the Prize**

_Disclaimer: _I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made.

_Author's Note: It's my contention that Miss Parker has always had some version of the Inner Sense but in the form of visions. I think we saw it in the episode, 'Toy Surprise' when she asked her mother to help her find a way out of the Sim Lab and then she had a memory of giving Angelo his first box of Cracker Jack. And again in 'Wake Up' when Tommy died, in Miss Parker's dream conversation with her mother as he was being murdered. But I'm not saying anymore. You will see more of this as the story goes on._

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_Spoilers: Countdown, Ranger Jarod_

His scent was the first thing she smelled when she entered the Summer House. After years of entering even some of the most disgusting places, she grown accustomed to Jarod's scent. Or maybe it wasn't his scent. She would know when he was in a room or if had ever had been there somehow. If it wasn't her Centre training then perhaps it was her Inner Sense.

Ever since their adventure on Carthis, it had heightened more and more. Dreams, even waking dreams were becoming frequent. None of them ever made any sense just jumbled pictures of the past. Some were nightmares that threw her out of bed at night and into a scotch bottle and an aching head and ulcer the next morning. Of course Sydney had to have his say about how she took care of herself.

_'Damn it, Parker!' he'd said, 'If you don't want to take of yourself for you then do it for those around you! There are others who care for you! Other people besides Mr. Parker!'_

Sydney's outburst left her thinking. She hadn't even realized that she was grieving for Mr. Parker. When she'd gotten back to the Centre from Scotland, Raines had her jumping through hoops every free moment that she wasn't chasing Jarod all over the country. All the while, Lyle who had proven his loyalty to the new Chairman and wannabe Parker matriarch by giving up a minor body part was hobnobbing with Triumvirate visitors and riding her for results.

Miss Parker headed for the Christmas tree, knowing it had to be a gift. _'I guess I better see what the Genius left me this time.'_

Her years as a cleaner had made her extremely to things out of place. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the small rabbit ornament which she had left lying on its side to dry but which was now sitting on top of the "Ghost of Christmas Future."

"Is this where I'm supposed to change my evil ways, Jarod?"

She sat on the sofa, picked up the file, and opened it to find the Last Will and Testament of Mr. Parker. She gasped.

While scanning the words, her phone rang. Ms. Parker shook her head and answered with an amused, "Yes?"

"God bless us everyone! It does seem like even the hardest of individuals can do the right thing. Daddy left you quite a tidy sum."

"My ears must be deceiving me. You're softening on, Da-ddy?"

"I wouldn't go that far!" He complained. "But there's no doubt he loved you."

Parker was speechless. She knew it took a lot for Jarod to give even an inch on how he felt about her father after all the evil he'd done to him. She hated to owe Jarod anything. "Thank you for this, Jarod. I was getting nowhere trying to… You have no idea how frustrating…" Miss Parker's voice broke off while she tried to find the words.

"Don't mention it. I know how Centre plays games. I am a Centre Lab Rat, y'know!"

Miss Parker almost felt bad for calling him that all these years until she realized that Jarod had taken it on as a term of endearment. "And Merry Christmas to you, Lab Rat. I feel bad that I didn't get you anything." She joked.

"You got me more than you realize, Miss Parker. Perhaps we should start a tradition, you and I. I can send you an ornament every Christmas, one for every good memory. Kind of like that twelve days of Christmas song."

"You mean, _'My True Love Sent to Me'_?"

"Well, I'm not sure I can find any Lords a Leaping but I can try."

Miss Parker knew she had to shut this down before they veered into dangerous territory. "I…I should go."

She could feel Jarod smirk through the phone. "Yes, I suppose you should. You know you could have just hung up like you always do. But you didn't. I think I'm finally making progress. That gives me hope for the future, Miss Parker. Goodbye."

Parker was thrilled and upset with herself at the same time. She mockingly berated herself. "How could you be so stupid? What part of the phrase, 'he runs, you chase' did you not understand?"

**The Centre Lobby – Blue Cove Delaware**

Lyle stands with members of Triumvirate and holding a very entertaining conversation. From across the lobby Mr. Raines looks on and Willie is not far behind him.

"I'm beginning to regret that I've given him the position I have. At least I can count on Miss Parker to be dark and morose."

Lyle sees his 'biological father' and waves cheerfully. Raines rolls his eyes and wheels his way into his new office.

**Sim Lab**

Miss Parker dressed to kill walks into the lab finds Sydney and Broots with Angelo. Sydney is handing Angelo an assortment of odd items on from a table. Angelo concentrates on them one by one.

"Trying to get the winning Lotto numbers from Miss Cleo, Syd?"

Miss Parker nods at Angelo when she sees him tense him up. He immediately relaxes feeling nothing but warmth from an old friend.

"We're simply trying an old technique, examining some items from Jarod's recent lairs, hoping to anticipate his movements with Angelo's gift."

Miss Parker frowned. "C'mon, Syd, we've been down this road before. That technique gets us nowhere. Anyway, we don't need to run off onto dead-ends this close to the holidays. You all have families to be with, don't you?"

They both nodded and Broots answered first. "Debbie volunteered to cook this year. She's been watching the Food Network for two weeks now. I'm just afraid we're going to be eating this holiday dinner for six months."

Everyone laughed.

"Michelle has invited me to have dinner with her and Nicholas. It seems he has a certain young lady coming home with him."

"That's wonderful, Syd" Miss Parker said shyly.

"Come with me, Parker. Don't be alone this Christmas!" urged Sydney.

"I won't be. Nothing is more important than family." She said cryptically.

"Please say you're not spending Christmas with Mr. Lyle!" Broots groaned.

"Oh, as if!" She winced, "Lyle's good at carving but turkey ain't his expertise. I told you I won't be alone for Christmas. I have plans. Now let's just wrap all this up."

"Anyone special?" Sydney asked curiously.

"Very."

"But Miss Parker," Broots interrupted, "considering the way Mr. Lyle is been riding your ….umm …backside shouldn't we be trying everything we can to get something?"

"I'll worry about my backside, thanks."

From the entrance of the Sim Lab, Mr. Lyle had heard Broots comment and replied. "If I were you, I would try anything and everything to get results, considering the half assed attempts you've made to capture Jarod lately."

Miss Parker refused to miss a beat. "Meaning?"

"How many more years are you going to allow Jarod to slip through your fingers, Sis?" Lyle walked up to his sister until they were eye to eye. Sydney and Broots could only stand back to watch the deadly rivalry.

"Is that what I'm doing?" she spat.

"I have wondered."

"Don't you have a Triumvirate goon to suck up to today?"

Lyle laughed. "Jealousy doesn't become you, Miss Parker. Now Dior on the other hand…What would you like better for Christmas…"

"Save your gifts for our new daddy. Is he really buying your routine yet?"

Lyle smirked again. It amused him so much this verbal dance with his twin. Some day they were going to have to take this much further. He really looked forward to that. "Oh right, that brings me back to the reason for my visit. You're shutting down early to have turkey and mistletoe, while Jarod skips around free as a bird? I think your priorities are out of whack again."

Suddenly, Miss Parker was transported back in time. Flashes of memory assaulting her.

_Mr. Raines had sneaked into her office as she ogled a nude picture that Thomas took of himself and put in her date book._

_A necessary evil considering your ongoing lack of success._

_Your work has become unfocused. Perhaps you're too distracted with personal affairs?_

_Priorities, Miss Parker! Priorities, Miss Parker!_

"What the hell is wrong with you! Are you even listening to me!" Lyle shouted at her.

As smoothly as possible Parker came back to the present and stood up to him. "Yes, you were saying?"

Lyle was incensed at her ignoring him and got into her face and whispered. "Priorities, Parker!"

"I know what mine are, Lyle."

"I'm betting you're thinking that the number one priority is family." Lyle smiled. It was the same smile he had when thought of his prey at his mercy. It made Parker's skin crawl.

He came closer so as not to let the two other men hear and whispered to her. "I wanted you to know that your access to our little brother is denied until further notice. So in case you thought you were spending Christmas with him. Forget it!"

Lyle turned to leave the lab. Clearly taken aback, Parker was not letting him leave on that note. She had ammunition to fight with thanks to Jarod! Out of earshot of the two below, Sydney and Broots witness Miss Parker throw her twin against the wall.

"You don't have the right to keep me from him, Lyle! According to Daddy's will, I'm his legal guardian!" She threatened.

"I'll just bet you got a copy of Mr. Parker's will from a certain Pretender that we all know! Which make me wonder whose side you are playing on?"

"You don't want to play games with me, Lyle. I'm Tommy's guardian."

"I still can't believe you named him after your dead carpenter."

"I think four months is enough time for a child to go without a name! Anyway I thought it the best revenge since Brigitte was the one who pulled the trigger!"

"The boy has a name, Master Parker. All Parkers are addressed by their surname. Except by their family. By the way, Sis, you never did tell me your first name."

"If I ever tell you it'll be last thing you ever say!"

"Oh well. Anyway access is still denied. I've got attorneys too. Attorneys that could challenge the boy's paternity. We both know that Mr. Parker was incapable of fathering any offspring. Brigitte and I … Well I don't have to draw you a map."

"You son of a …"

"Careful you don't want to insult Mom! Even if you had a mind to take this to court, which you'd be fool to do. No one would give you custody of a child. You are totally unfit."

"Me?"

"With your lifestyle? You travel constantly. Carry a weapon. The way that you drink! You have chronic health problems. You've never had any lasting relationships. And you'd never pass a psych exam! Any therapist can see you're still affected by our mother's death. You're a mess! Now take me. I'm a much more stable influence."

"You're a psychotic serial-killing cannibal!"

"But can you prove it?"

Not able to take it anymore, Miss Parker went for Mr. Lyle's throat. Sydney and Broots saw her actions and ran up the steel stairs to pull her off Lyle.

All this time Lyle did nothing but laugh at his twin's frustration and anger.

Angelo couldn't help but hone in on the emotional turmoil in Miss Parker and the darkness coming from Mr. Lyle. "Dark Twin," He said to himself as he watched. "Mr. Lyle, Dark Twin."

Knowing she'd keep this secret torture to herself, Lyle drew himself as though nothing had happened. "Keep your eyes on the prize, Parker. Let's see some progress by New Year's and perhaps, just perhaps things may change for you." Just before he left wistfulness crept over him. "Like I said before you are beautiful when you're angry."

In the hall outside, Lyle's cell phone rang. He took it out and swiftly ducked into abandoned corridor. He looked around to see that he was alone, knowing who it would be.

"I'm ready to begin my plan to bring Jarod in. Yes. Just remember our deal. I bring you Jarod, I run the Centre. No more Raines and no more Miss Parker! Then everybody's happy!"

Hanging up his phone, Lyle walks away.

Parker was still shaking with anger when Sydney put her into his office chair. Angelo followed closely behind the three.

"Mr. Lyle, Dark Twin" he mumbled again.

"Yes, Angelo. His heart is blacker than the dark side of the moon!" She roared.

Sydney brought her a cup of water. "Drink this Parker."

"I'm fine."

"Drink it, Parker!" He said forcefully.

She took it obediently as Sydney turned to Broots. "Broots why don't you take Angelo back to his space?"

Knowing what was coming Parker tried to head it off, "I'm not in the mood for a session on your couch, Freud!"

Broots took Angelo by the arm and led him out, getting while the getting was good.

Sydney pulled up a chair in front of Miss Parker.

"I don't want to talk about Lyle, Syd!"

Sydney merely nodded his head in agreement, sat back, and crossed his arms. "Alright."

Parker knew that was too easy.

"Why don't you tell me about the waking dream you experienced a few minutes ago?"

Her heart sank. She knew Sydney had been watching her and had been concerned. Until now he'd never questioned her about her recent lapses.

"You've had them before Parker. Right in front of us. You seem to be go blank for seconds to minutes at a time. Where do you go? What do you see?"

"Sydney, it's nothing!" Parker set the cup down and put her head in her hands.

"Parker, this isn't 'nothing'. This is your gift, Inner Sense. You've always had this! It's just…returning."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I guess I can tell you now that your father is no longer here to threaten me. Mr. Parker once asked me to treat you as a patient."

Her head snapped up at that. "What?"

Sydney put his hand up to calm her reactions. "Let me start at the beginning. I'll tell you all I know."

"You'd better!"

Sydney got up and went to his filing cabinet and pulled out small folder. "I was never allowed to collect much data on you, Miss Parker. But what was done is mostly in here."

Miss Parker's brow furrowed in confusion. "But you never knew I was Red File. Did you, Sydney?"

"No. Most of this I gathered over the years. Conversations that I had with your parents that made me question Catherine's denials about you."

"What conversations?"

"When you were about three years old, Catherine was worried that you were going into short trances. You had nightmares, waking dreams. She thought you might be signs of autism. She wanted me to examine you, secretly. Mr. Parker had already told her it was nothing to worry about. He was convinced that you had a talent like hers, the Inner Sense. But your mother was certain that it was something quite peculiar. And that Mr. Parker had "expected it of you." Did you know how you got the nickname, Angel?"

"Yes, Daddy told me because I saw him about to fall off a ladder."

"Parker, you saw him fall off the ladder in one of your waking dreams. Then you rushed to warn him."

"Sydney, are you saying I'm some sort of seer? That's not possible!"

"You believed it when you saw your mother in that burning subway tunnel."

At this Miss Parker said nothing. She remembered how vividly that vision had become a premonition of Ethan coming to save her. "So Daddy knew I had this?"

"Yes. Looking back now it seemed he was developing it all along."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the sexuality experiment when you and Jarod first met?"

"Of course."

"I remember thinking how odd it was that Mr. Parker had invited all those members of the Triumvirate to see a boy get his first glimpse at a girl, even if he was a pretender and she was most enchanting."

Miss Parker thought back to that time.

_A boy was stuck behind glass looking at her with curious but delighted eyes. She was frightened and shy but with false bravado made her way to the plexiglass as she'd been instructed to do. There were so many people in the room. Daddy hadn't said there'd be so many people. She wished her mother was there. But Daddy had said it was their secret. Something fun for just them. But it didn't feel like fun._

_The boy put his hand to the glass in expectation. The monitors screamed the racing rhythm of his heart. She could feel every beat. She could feel every heart in the room. Her own heart was exploding out of her chest. She could feel everyone's eyes peer right through her._

_'I can't do it this way. I can't do it this way, Daddy.' _

_She looked at her father standing at the far door. Maybe he'd come and rescue her. But he simply nodded for her to proceed._

_'I've got to try.'_

_She looked at the boy's hand. It was small like her own. Not so big. She could focus on the lines and indentures. But nothing happened._

_'This isn't going to work. I can't do it this way. I can't do it this way!' she screamed in her head as she lifted her hand to the boy's._

_"You're a girl." the boy said._

_She nodded dumbly. Not knowing what to do or say but, just focused on his hand._

_"My name is Jarod. What's your name?_

_'Please don't ask that!' She thought in fear. Her father had made it clear to everyone at the Centre that they should address her as Miss Parker. Now even adults seemed afraid to talk to the Chairman's daughter. Even to say good morning. This made her loneliest person ever._

_Looking at her father, she hoped against hope he'd allow this one person to be her friend. Instead he shook his head. She could almost see her father shouting at her to focus on the task at hand._

_"Miss Parker." she replied sadly. She tried to focus again. Tried to make it happen. Nothing._

_'I can't do it. I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm so sorry...' she thought._

"Parker? Parker? Can you hear me?"

Miss Parker looked up and realized she was standing at the window in Sydney's office. Her hand placed on the pane as it had been in her memory. She quickly took her hand away from the glass.

"I was out again?"

"Afraid so. But I'm glad. It gives me some insight. You were speaking aloud this time. Your father and by extension the Triumvirate were there to test _you_ that day, not Jarod."

Not used to being in such a vulnerable state Miss Parker was not ready to take Jarod's place as Centre Lab Rat. "Even if I have this gift to the extent you say, Sydney, I was only there that day to read Rat Boy's tea leaves. The Triumvirate just wanted to know how rich Jarod was going to make them. Only problem was, I choked."

"Your kind of gift can't be performed on demand, Parker. Your father should have known that. Probably like Angelo, you need some sort of tactile sensation."

Miss Parker was incensed at being compared to Angelo and told Sydney just what she thought of that bogus theory! "I don't think so, Sydney! I went down to the lab the next day. When I touched Jarod's hand there were no visions!"

"Purely a biological reaction, Miss Parker?" He smiled at her as she glared at him. "Anyway we can disagree about the objective of that day but not about the aftermath. I also know that your parents had a fight that night."

Miss Parker immediately tensed and tried to walk away from him but Sydney blocked her.

"Catherine found out about what happened. She knew you were upset that you hadn't performed as your father expected. She threatened to leave your father and take you away from the Centre forever."

"Oh God! I probably signed her death warrant right then and there!" She fell back into Sydney's chair.

"Stop it, Parker! You weren't responsible for Catherine's death! But your early life has been quite traumatic! It has deeply affected you! That's why after your mother's death, your father came to see me and asked me to help you."

"Because the trauma of witnessing Mom's so called death in the elevator had affected my gift?" she said sarcastically.

"He said so but…"

"But? You're holding back. Don't spare me just because he's dead, Sydney. I want the good, the bad, and the ugly!"

Sydney looked at her thoughtfully. At times he had thought she was so much like Catherine but she was so much more. She had steel in her that Catherine didn't have. At times Miss Parker seemed impervious. That was what kept her alive.

"Mr. Parker wanted to know if you were repressing any memories of anything Catherine might have told you. He wanted me to feel you out for… But he would never be specific. I told him I couldn't help him. That it was best to let you recover on your own or more damage could be done to your psyche."

Turning away ashamed. "I have experienced some repressed memories surfacing. Things about the past. At the time, I wasn't quite sure at first what was happening to me."

"It can be a terrifying experience."

"No more than the memories."

"Parker, if Catherine left information for you about your brother Ethan and your Inner Sense in Jarod's memory, isn't it just as likely that her plan for destroying the Centre might be inside you?"

Miss Parker looked at him questioningly and then determination appeared over her features. "Will you help me Sydney? If I can find my mother's plan or use anything to get rid of Lyle and Raines…"

"I'll help you, Miss Parker. But only so far as no harm comes to you. Are we agreed?"

"Do I have a choice?" She said wryly and crossed her arms across her chest.

Sydney smiled broadly and said in his best continental accent, "Not really."


	3. One Way Out

**Angel Sight: One Way Out**

_Disclaimer: _I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made.

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_Spoilers: Ranger Jarod_

**Miss Parker's Driveway**

Miss Parker made it to her car just as the rain started to fall. She quickly slid behind the wheel not bothering to look on the seat of the car. That's when she felt a lump in the seat. Sitting up, Parker picked up the new envelope she found on the seat of her car, sat down, and pulled her door shut. Before opening it, she fingered it anxiously. Then she tore into it unable to contain her curiosity.

Inside was another plane ticket. For a child under 5.

"Oh God, Jarod!" She gasped.

Parker's gut twisted and tears welled. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out further. Taking several deep breaths, Parker jammed the ticket back into its envelope and into the pocket of her overcoat.

"I can't do this now! I've got to pick up Sydney."

Miss Parker drove as quickly as she could to Sydney's house. She'd volunteered to drive him to the airport. He was ready when she got there.

When Parker got out of the car, Sydney was more than a little surprised that she was dressed in jeans, a sweater, and an overcoat. And he raised his eyebrows to indicate his astonishment.

She only smiled sweetly. "Ready to go?"

Parker had wanted to wait at the plane with him but Sydney had insisted on being dropped at the curb. As they unloaded his bags, he tried to convince her to come with him again.

"Michelle would be glad to have you! Please come!"

"I told you I have plans. Why can't you take no for an answer?" She laughed.

"Who is this man? Bring him along."

"Thanks anyway." She said.

Sydney nodded knowing she wasn't going to give in. "Don't drink too much, Parker."

Parker looked down at her feet accepting the lecture without argument.

"I don't want to lecture you but it will only aggravate your ulcer."

"I know."

At times she could be as adorable and sweet as she had been as a child. And Sydney felt just as neglectful as Mr. Parker had been all those years of her childhood. "Parker when I get back..."

The skycap came over and was ready to go in to the terminal with Sydney.

Miss Parker leaned over and kissed Sydney on the cheek quickly shocking him but pleasurably. "Bon voyage, Syd." She turned and walked back to her car.

"Merry Christmas, Cherie." He said silently knowing it would only embarrass her.

**Christmas Day**

**Parker Cemetery Plot**

Miss Parker dressed in a dark suit with two bouquets of flowers walked up to black marble headstone. Where it once just had been Catherine Parker's name, now Mr. Parker's had been added.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy." She whispered and put the flowers in front of each name plaque.

"I don't know why I came here. Neither one of you is really here."

She was quiet and just stared and the cold stone. "This is so much like real life. The three of us never talking or being together."

Parker looked around at the overcast day, fallen leaves and dead trees. She could almost hear the dead.

_You shouldn't be here, Angel. _

"I had to be somewhere, Daddy." She pleaded with him. "Y'know, Jarod once told me I spent too much time in cemeteries. I guess that makes me the Angel of Death."

Pins and needles came over Parker sending her to her knees and then darkness enveloped her.

_'Be careful with her Raines, she's all I have left.' She heard her father's voice say._

_'No, Daddy, no! Please, Please!'_

_Suddenly all the air around her stilled. She couldn't breathe and then she was surrounded by thunder in a small room. No. Like a coffin. Just like the coffin they put Momma in. _

_'Daddy, help me! I'm not dead!'_

_The thunder began to break open her head. She couldn't move. She was totally paralyzed. There was no light, except for some flashes of light coming from a small window._

_Looking up into the window, she saw…_

Her cell phone rang and a rattled Miss Parker takes it out.

"What?"

"Where are you?" Jarod asked.

"Spending a little quality time with the family." She said as she got up and smoothed out her hair and suit.

"That's no place to be on Christmas, Miss Parker."

"Well orphans can't be choosers…"

Jarod heard something odd in her voice. " Are you alright?"

"Never better." She lied.

"Did you get the additional ticket?"

Parker said nothing.

"I still haven't heard a no, Miss Parker."

"And you haven't heard a yes either, Jarod. I have too much to lose." Annoyed and exhausted from her experience, she hung up.

**Miss Parker's Office**

**The Centre**

**Blue Cove Delaware**

Miss Parker sat at her desk staring at the airline ticket placed in front of her. Drink in hand. After sitting for what seemed like hours, she heard tapping from above.

Her buzz quickly wore off and put her on alert but then she realized it was just…

"Angelo! Why don't you find a street to play in?" she yelled at him.

Angelo in quiet agile motions came out of the vent to stand before her. "Miss Parker is sad."

"Angelo I don't want to play word games with you!" she said pouring another drink.

"Baby is sad too!"

Immediately, Parker stopped and looked at the empath. "What did you say?"

"Baby is sad. He gives you Christmas."

Angelo took a small toy truck out of his pants pocket and placed it on the desk next to her glass.

"You saw him?" She said wondrously as she picked it up. "What am I saying? You can go anywhere in this hellhole and no one would know!"

Angelo smiled simply knowing he'd made Miss Parker feel better. "Baby misses Angel."

"You know he calls me Angel?"

Angelo nodded. "Baby is brave."

"Brave?"

"They start tests."

Fear gripped Parker. "What tests, Angelo?"

"Tests like Jarod, like me. Like you."

"He's too young! He's only two!"

Angelo didn't answer.

Parker looked back at the ticket on her desk again. "Angelo can we bring him out through the vents?"

Angelo shook his head. "Hole is fixed shut. Too little, only big for block. And eyes always watching."

Parker's hopes shattered for using Jarod's plane tickets. "So I'm stuck playing Lyle's game."

"Help Miss Parker?" Angelo volunteered.

"No, your gifts aren't what we need to catch Jarod." Then an idea occurred to her. "But maybe mine are!"

Angelo frowned. He suddenly gets upset with Miss Parker. "Miss Parker not want to catch Friend!"

Parker grabs Angelo and puts her hand over his mouth. Angelo is frightened by look in her eyes and the cruel curl of her lips. "Remember Angelo, eyes are always watching."

Miss Parker let him go forcefully and the empath goes running from the room.

**Sim Lab**

Parker poured out all of Jarod's items that Angelo had been handling the other day and lay them on a lab table.

"Maybe I should have kept Cousin It around as a tutor."

Miss Parker picked up the first item. Then the second. Then the third. Concentrating on each item and Jarod, hoping to have a vision. Each time nothing happened.

"This can't just happen when I want it to! There has to be a way to activate this. A vision has to knock me nearly unconscious in a cemetery to be effective?"

Parker tried to think what was effective. "If not touch, then what? She reached back into her memory and remembered the day after the Triumvirate visit. She had gone back to the lab to see him again. She was curious. She had wanted to know what she'd done wrong. How she could have pleased Daddy.

_She saw him looking at nude sculptures in a book. At first, it frightened her a little that she would be alone with the boy._

_With no sweepers around to protect her, she had tried to intimidate him. Daddy had taught her that. But he wasn't afraid of her at all. All he remembered of the day before was how he imagined her skin to feel._

_'You have soft skin.' He said._

_'You didn't even touch me!'_

_'Yes, I did.' He insisted. 'In here'_

_Jarod pointed to his head, indicating his mind._

_Momma had told her that Jarod was very special and that was why he was at the Centre. But what did "special" mean?_

_'Hold out your hand. Like this'. Jarod lifted his palm in the air and reached out. He closed his eyes. Curious to see what would happen, she did the same._

_Then something took over. Her arm which had not been lifted very high in the air became lighter. Her hand traveled towards his like it was drawn. Not just hands. Her mind felt airy and light._

_'Can you feel it?'_

_Then suddenly they were electrified and fused at the hands. She pulled away instantly. It had to be some sort of trick._

"But it wasn't a trick was it, Jarod?"

Miss Parker slowed her breathing and tried to concentrate on Jarod's face. After several minutes though, nothing came to her. Giving up, she slapped her thighs in frustration, hitting the paper ticket in her coat pocket. At that moment…

_Train horn blaring…._

_Rolling turgid motion._

_Jarod was on a train!_

_But where?_

_The train horn blared again and she could feel Jarod look out a window._

_An arch stood high above a city skyline!_

Miss Parker took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "Is this be real?"

She picked her mobile phone from her back pocket and dialed Sam. "Sam, I want you to get a Sweeper team dispatched to the St. Louis train terminal immediately! Then get the jet ready to fly there. We're going to catch ourselves a Pretender!"

She immediately hung up and put her phone in the same pocket as the ticket Jarod had given her. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I know I've said this isn't personal Jarod but now it is. Very personal. There's only one way out of here, and that's through you."


	4. Companion Adversary

**Angel Sight: Companion/Adversary**

_Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made._

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

The Amtrak Texas Eagle train headed to St. Louis and Jarod sat in a private car tapping on his laptop. For days he had been trying to decode the files he'd intercepted from the Triumvirate to Raines. His only clues to their importance were the key words that had been used in Catherine Parker's diary. He was hoping that once Miss Parker read the diary for herself more of her own memories would help aid him.

'To have a companion instead of an adversary would be an interesting change.' He thought to himself.

Every few minutes he looked at his mobile phone waiting. By now Miss Parker should have been at the Montreal Airport service desk where she would have found instructions not to take the flight but to take another flight to Chicago and finally to St. Louis. He'd left her a throw away phone with his number for her to call and complain. That kind of trip was going to be tiring for a two year old and would make her crankier by extension. But he knew it would be worth it in the end.

He still couldn't believe Mr. Parker had left his daughter a way out of the Centre. He only hoped she was taking advantage of it. When Miss Parker had been involved with his friend Thomas Gates, it had taken heaven and earth to convince her to leave. Then Thomas' murder had crushed her.

'Did Miss Parker have the courage to breakaway again?' He thought

There was a knock on his compartment door and it opened. A steward poked his head in. "Sir we'll be pulling into St. Louis in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

Moments later, the train slowed and pulled into a beautiful Victorian-engineered station. Unable to wait, Jarod moved to the window to gawk at the magnificent 65-foot, barrel-vaulted ceiling in the Grand Hall, one of the country's true architectural "gems."

Soon several other gems caught his eye. Sweepers!

"Damn! How the hell did they find me?" Jarod packed his laptop and grabbed his knapsack out of the overhead as quickly as possible. The train was starting to brake and passengers were moving to the disembarking points of the train. Jarod moved against the tide of them to the back of the train and ducked into the baggage compartment. Several porters were already moving the baggage around ready to hop off the train and begin unloading. Jarod quickly grabbed a porter's jacket out of one the nearby lockers and put it on as though he'd always been an employee. He put his laptop and knapsack along with several other bags on a dolly and began to line up with the other porters.

**St. Louis Amtrak Terminal**

Already dozens of sweepers were crawling over the station when Miss Parker and Sam entered the building.

"How obvious can you be?" she said bitterly. "Sam, get to as many of these guys as you can and tell them to blend in more. I don't intend to lose Jarod because he saw some amateur!"

"Yes, Miss Parker!"

After Jarod had helped several people with their bags and collected about $150 in tips. He was finally confident enough to leave the station convinced that the sweepers were clueless to his disguise. That's when he saw her. Anger and frustration rosed up in him that she refused another out. And a strong desire to know why wouldn't let him leave just yet. He saw an old friend and he just had to say hello first.

In the next few minutes, Miss Parker's phone rang.

Still scanning the terminal for Jarod she answered it, "What!"

"So the answer is no?"

"They don't call you a genius for nothing." Parker knew Jarod was expecting her in Montreal and had no way of knowing she'd be here. She had every intention of getting the jump on him this time. She listened intently for background noise for clues as to where he might be in the terminal.

"Well I can't be too smart if I keep trusting you'll wake up and smell the coffee as they say." He quipped.

The sound of a expresso machine came clearly through her phone. A coffee shop! 'Keep talking, Jarod!' she thought as she ran down the concourse to where she remembered the coffee shop was.

"What do I have to do to get you to trust me, Miss Parker?"

There was an overhead announcement directing passengers to a departing train in Concourse B.

"Oh I don't know. How about stay in one place long enough for me to catch you."

Toilet flushed. He was definitely in a restroom, in Concourse B!

"But what would you do with me if you had me?" With that Jarod hung up.

Miss Parker didn't care that he hung up, sure that she had him cornered. Reaching the right area, she saw a men's room not too far from a Starbucks in Concourse B. But 'Sorry this restroom is temporarily closed for cleaning!' dangled on a chain blocking the open entrance. Discreetly she pulled out her 9mm and ducked under the sign.

Slowly she entered the men's room but quickly went into sweeper stance left and right checking for trouble. No one was in sight. Not ready to relax, she turned to the stalls, all the doors were closed. One by one, she kicked each door in. But no Jarod.

"Dammit!"

Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind, took her gun, and tossed it into the nearby sink.

"Hey!" She tried to fight back.

But strong arms wrapped around her and whipped her around to the mirror. Jarod.

"You should have checked the Ladies Room first."

"I'll remember that next time, pervert!" she struggled.

"You're the one hanging out in the men's bathroom!"

Miss Parker continued to struggle against him. "Why couldn't you just trust me and go to Montreal?"

"Why aren't you there? Trust? That's rich!"

Jarod said nothing. Parker looked at his eyes in the mirror. They reflected sadness and something else. His eyes settled on the softness of her hair and traced the long column of her neck. She recognized this look. She last seen it in front of Ocee's fireplace. Desire.

"The only way you can help me Jarod is to come back with me!"

Jarod's eyes snapped back to her reflection. "I'd do anything for you but that Miss Parker." Slowly he let her go and backed away heading for the door.

Desperate not to go back to the Centre empty handed once again, "If I…asked you…begged you to come back with me, would you?" She didn't know why she asked him that. Why would he?

That stopped him cold. "What's happened?"

She didn't know what to say now. "I need you."

He raised his eyebrow at that.

"To come back with me." She corrected.

Jarod was silent for an eternity before he spoke again. Her insides felt as though they'd been gutted and spilled onto the floor for him to examine the contents.

"Have you read your Mother's diary yet?"

"What?"

Jarod nodded, having his answer. He turned to leave.

"Wait!"

"Read the diary, Miss Parker!" He said harshly but then he turned back but his eyes had a watery look. "I haven't said no."

"What?" she said not quite believing him.

He nodded and then Jarod took the ultimate chance. He rushed up to her, took her face in his hands, and kissed her. Not the chaste kiss of their youth but a passionate kiss of desire that he'd been dreaming of since Scotland.

She did not resist.

He let her go. "Read the diary." And he was gone.

**Next day**

**Tech Room - The Centre**

Parker walked into the lab where Sydney and Broots were waiting for her. Immediately she knew she was in trouble with Sydney. He had that disapproving fatherly look and his arms were crossed. Broots was cracking with a smile. He was being overly cheerful to compensate.

"Welcome back, you two. How was your holiday?" She said calmly.

"I was going to ask you that very question. I heard that you've been busy."

"Was I just supposed to sit on my hands while you were gone?"

"Well this certainly reminds me of the early days of our working relationship, Parker! Your going off solo to hunt Jarod. Your willingness to use anything to drag him back!"

"Leads come up, Sydney. I had to move on them."

Sydney came up to her in challenge, "Exactly what leads were you following Parker?"

Defiantly, "It doesn't matter. The point is we were there ahead of Jarod instead of two steps behind. This is the most progress we've ever made."

"I agree." That statement was accompanied by the sound of eerie wheezing and the rolling oxygen tank that accompanied Mr. Raines. Mr. Lyle was with him.

"Congratulations, Sis! So what's your secret?"

She glared at him, making herself tower over the Ghoul and the Cannibal. "I'll keep that a trade secret. The problem was the sweeper teams I had with me were incompetent and stood out like a sore thumb. Jarod saw them coming a mile away!"

"Well we've reached a decision about that. From now on you'll be given a new team to work with." Raines said looking at Sydney and Broots. "Your progress has significantly improved that we think certain other elements are no longer necessary."

Stunned, Miss Parker only wanted to undo what she's gotten herself into. She never meant to cut her friends out, especially Sydney. "Sydney isn't just an element, he's…"

"He's off this team!" Lyle made clear. Then he dangled a carrot. "Anyway I was hoping you could take a trip with me down to SL -5?"

"SL-5?" She said curiously, knowing he meant Baby Parker's room in the nursery.

Lyle smiled his crocodile smile. "I was thinking you'd like to spend some time with family, since you were gone over the holidays."

Sydney squinted in suspicion as Miss Parker was escorted out by Lyle and Raines.

"Why would Mr. Lyle want to spend time with Miss Parker on SL-5? What's there?" Broots asked.

"I don't know. But I want you to check the DSA logs and find out what could be there that she'd have an interest in. They are trying to isolate her. Perhaps using something to gain her cooperation."

"What am I looking for, Syd? Anything Lyle might be holding over Miss Parker's head."

Sydney started to leave.

"Hey where are you going?"

"To find out where they're taking her. Something isn't right here, Broots. Parker's desperate and we're going to find out why."

**Later that day.**

**Tech Room**

Broots is leaning over the large screen in front of him practically mooning. Sydney comes in silently and looks over his shoulder. A DSA is playing on screen. It is dated a few months ago. Parker is chasing a small boy around the nursery, playing a 'gotcha' game.

"She'd be a very good mother."

"Yeah." Broots said dreamily. Then he starts realizing Sydney had walked in. "Hey! So did you find out where she went?"

"Just where you're looking. It seems they'd cut off her access to the area until today."

"That would explain why she attacked, Mr. Lyle the other day."

"Miss Parker is very protective of family. But I wonder when this happened? She never mentioned she was visiting him let alone becoming close with the boy."

"His name is Tommy. It seems she started seeing him about four months after he was born. Pretty sad too. Little kid hadn't been doing well. Failure to thrive I think they call it. Anyway, she decides to visit. She seemed pretty uncomfortable at first."

"Understandable. Brigitte was his mother. Brigitte killed Thomas."

"Yeah, but Miss Parker goes in asks what the little guys' name is. Nobody knows. The kid has no name. Just Master Parker. Miss P loses it! Decides to name him right then and there! She's been visiting him every chance she could."

They both continued to watch the DSA of surrogate mother and child in awe.

**Sydney's Office**

**The Centre**

The phone rang and Sydney picked it up. "This is Sydney."

"The Angel's gifts are returning." Jarod stated.

"Yes." Sydney sighed. "How did you know about her special insight?"

"I found out awhile back. I was just hoping she'd never use those gifts against me."

"Jarod, they're holding her little brother as a hostage. Parker's become quite attached to the boy. They've denied her access to even visit unless she can show progress."

"And that makes Miss Parker desperate." Jarod closed his eyes and swallowed. 'She was desperate enough to beg me. Something she would never do.' That made him love her more.

"What will you do now, Jarod? She's obviously willing to use her special sight to find you."

"I'm going to turn myself in. Goodbye, Sydney."

"Wait, Jarod! Jarod!"

But it was already too late Jarod had hung up.


	5. Catherine's Diary

**Angel Sight: Catherine's Diary**

_Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made._

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_Author's Note: I know that Catherine Parker's diary on camera was just a little thing and couldn't possible fit all I'm going to put down on paper here but let's just suspend our imagination. Truthfully, I just love to see Andrea play Catherine Parker. I really believe that character had so much more to say to her daughter and to the audience. So here are the things I wanted to hear. I also didn't put any dates in the diary; it was just too hard to figure out. _

_Special Note: I didn't mention anything about Catherine losing Lyle at birth because I would assume that as couple she and Mr. Parker wouldn't dwell on it. It's really hard to write for people who have no names!_

**Miss Parker's Summer House**

That night Miss Parker refreshed from her afternoon with Tommy had nearly forgotten what she'd promised Jarod, until she was getting ready for bed. She was showered and had just come out of the bathroom in her silk green pajamas when she saw a small book sitting in the middle of her bed. She identified it immediately as her mother's diary.

Jarod had been here.

Instantly, her heart was pounding and her skin grew hot. She didn't know whether to search the place for signs of the Pretender. Here was another reminder to read the diary. Jarod wanted her to know something. She was curious but dread reading about the tragedy of her mother's life.

Although this wasn't the first time he had sneaked into her bedroom. Things had changed. Because of that kiss. That incredible, kiss in St. Louis! Her mind wouldn't let her forget about it. While didn't want to read, she knew she'd be up tonight anyway avoiding thinking of his lips on hers.

Sitting down on the bed, Parker took a sip of the scotch she'd brought with her from downstairs. She made herself comfortable against the headboard and opened the red velvet book with embossed pages.

_'I'm going to marry him. I know how sudden this is. But I knew…Something inside me just knew from the beginning, told me I was fated to be Mrs. Catherine Parker.'_

_'Although I know he was too busy to get away. He took me to Europe for our honeymoon. It was heavenly! We explored everything together, including each other. He always leaves me wanting more!_

"Ok that's more than I wanted to know." She said as she skipped a few pages later.

_'I don't understand why I'm not pregnant yet. I warned him when we got married that I wanted at least a dozen babies. He doesn't seem worried after this long. Maybe I shouldn't be. He just laughs and says to be patient. It's hard to be patient! I'm praying everyday for my little miracle.'_

Something in Parker danced at the thought of being compared to a miracle. She desperately tried to remember what it was like to be wanted. She read on.

_'To take my mind off getting pregnant, he wants me to meet his colleagues from the Centre. I think he want me to come to work with him. Everyday he tells me what a wonderful contribution, I'd make to the Centre. I admit it entices me to be involved in a worldwide organization with such grand ideals!'_

"God you were naïve!"

_'We hosted an informal party at the Summer House and invited most of the senior staff and personnel of the Centre. Everyone is so brilliant! There were so many people from around the world, all of them brought to the Centre just to benefit others. I listened in turn to most of them describe some theory or project that they were working on. One of them, a Sydney…oh I can't remember his last name… but he's a psychiatrist and he had some fascinating theories about child development. His work is cutting edge in the field of psychiatry and discovering the potential of the human mind. I'm afraid I monopolized him the entire affair. I'm only glad my love isn't jealous. I'm sure Sydney's work is going to be groundbreaking. He'll be famous someday.'_

"His work was certainly groundbreaking alright." She said as she thought about the DSA of the 4 year old Jarod building the Empire State Building.

Miss Parker read further.

_'I started work at the Center today. My husband actually provided me with an office. I hadn't been prepared to do more than just play hostess to a few Triumvirate visitors. But he's put me in charge of changing the look of the Centre itself. Asking each department about the space and dimensions they'll need for their projects. This will be an enormous undertaking, with engineers, architects… I'm very excited to be involved!'_

They'd tried so hard to wipe away Catherine Parker's memory at the Centre. But so much of the very foundation was Catherine Parker. Miss Parker realized.

_'I've finally convinced my husband to let me see a doctor. We've had so much trouble trying… Dr. Raines told me to today that I'll have to have a procedure to get pregnant. He called it 'invitrofertilization'. My love was very sweet and offered to hold my hand and be there during the entire procedure. I was actually grateful.'_

"Oh God, Mom no!" Miss Parker sat up and poured herself more scotch into her glass.

'If Raines did anything there had to be some sick plot behind it.' She thought. 'What did he do to my mother?'

Drinking another glassful, she finally continued.

_'My little girl came into the world today… We'd been worried for so long. My husband hadn't let me out of his sight my whole pregnancy. She is so beautiful! I've counted her fingers and toes at least a dozen times! I love to smell her…she has that sweet baby smell. I can't stop looking at her. The first night she was home with us, we spent the entire night camped out on the nursery floor afraid that we'd miss her cry. I cried more than she did.'_

_'6 weeks old. My little darling had her first check-up today. But with Dr. Raines. She was not only very healthy but he told me her development was incredibly advanced for an infant. It was eerie the way he salivating over her. My husband says it's my fertile imagination.'_

"Maybe not." She was a Red File.

_'We fought for the first time. Now that the work on the Centre has been completed, I wanted to quit my work at the Centre to raise our daughter. But he's made it nearly impossible for me to leave! The Triumvirate is coming as part of a grand unveiling ceremony. My husband's made me the head of SIS and wants new security put in for their visit. He's assigned a man named Fenigor to help me._

_'Mr. Fenigor is quite a brilliant engineer! He's designed a new security system based on monitoring and recording everything on small titanium record disks. He calls them Digital Simulation Archives. This is decades ahead of anything else! We've gotten approval from the Tower to install these DSA cameras everywhere in the Centre. In just about every room even the broom closets! This is a bit intrusive but I suppose it's only temporary.'_

Miss Parker nearly spit up. "That's what you think."

_'Just in the middle of the Triumvirate welcoming dinner, a girl of four or five was seen by security wandering around on SL-27. I had no idea what a child was doing so far down on one of the sub levels at this time of night. Instead of calling our security men who were busy, I went down myself. I found Jacob, Sydney's twin brother there dragging this small girl back into a door marked "Inception" kicking and screaming. Frightened out of her mind, the girl was screaming for her mother. I demanded to know where her mother was. Jacob seemed annoyed with me and told me to ask my husband. I felt sick and for the first time in years my Inner Sense kicked in. The confusion must have showed on my face because Jacob handed the girl over to orderlies and then took me aside._

_"These children have been taken from their homes, Catherine! We take them and keep them here because they're gifted."_

_"Oh my God! That can't be true!"_

_"Be careful, Catherine!" He warned me and left me alone to go back up to the party.'_

_'I confronted him about the kidnapped children. I expected him to deny it. But he confirmed my worst fears. He rationalized that these children were special children forced to live in unfit homes and that the Centre could provide a better environment for them. I didn't know who was standing in front of me. Was this the man I loved? He tried to smooth things over with that sweet way of his by telling me in time that the little girl would eventually forget about her mother. I went to see my baby girl that night in the nursery and hoped she'd never forget me.'_

"I couldn't if I wanted to, Mom" Miss Parker's voice broke as she spoke the words.

All her life, her father had tried to apply just that strategy. 'Life goes on.' He'd said. But somehow she couldn't. Something was broken inside of her. She was unable to get past April 13, 1970, while the rest of the world had gone on.

_'I can't believe my darling is walking at six months! She was so determined to get her favorite toy that the nurse put away, she stood on her little legs and walked right to it. Her father claims that she's a Parker and Parkers always get what they want. He said that to me when I first began dating him. I can't help but laugh when I see that twinkle in his blue eyes._

_I wanted to believe I was wrong about him and these children at the Centre. Maybe they were in unfit homes. He's such a good father to our little girl, not so attentive but so involved in her progress and upbringing. He's always asking the nurse if she'd done anything exceptional. That doesn't seem like the type of man who would kidnap children from their parents._

_One night I found his side of the bed empty and went looking for him. He was with her in the nursery, just watching her breathe. He was whispering about how special she was and how she'd been expected for a long time. I nearly cried. It was so beautiful. I have a beautiful family.'_

Miss Parker's own inner sense 'laughed'.

_'Jacob was right. It is dangerous. I suggested we begin taking down the DSA cameras and was denied. I learn more children are being brought in everyday. Some stay but some go. I don't know where. I came upon Dr. Raines and my husband talking privately. Something about testing our daughter and the tests being conclusive. I wasn't even aware that she'd had blood tests! I was outraged! Raines mentioned something about a project Cassandra designed to test her limits at each stage. At this point, my husband agreed but only each year until a breakout occurred. Raines told him the Triumvirate wanted further testing! "That can happen with or without you!" Again I am terrified! I have no idea what project my husband has involved my daughter in but I can't allow it!'_

Then Miss Parker felt an electrical jolt in her head. It happened again just like in the cemetery, the dark vison swept in.

_'Be careful with her Raines, she's all I have left.' She heard her father's voice say._

_'No, Daddy, no! Please, Please!'_

_The air so still! She was in the coffin again. She couldn't breathe and the thunder was cracking open her head. No, every pore she has opened._

_'Daddy, help me! Please help me! Don't put in the ground like, Momma! I'm not dead!'_

_The thunder began to break open her head. She couldn't move. She was totally paralyzed. There was no light, except for some flashes of light coming from a small window._

_Looking up into the window, she saw…Dr. Raines._

Vertigo hit Miss Parker with that memory and she fell off the bed onto the floor, taking the diary with her. She clutched it tightly. She opened the book again and even though the words seem to swim on the page, she read intently.

_'Sydney has been assigned a special boy named Jarod. He was brought into the Centre last night and the Tower is all buzzing about him. We were all watching a DSA of him. Everyone seemed so delighted with him in his new cage doing his tricks. I just saw how sad the poor thing was. This has got to stop! I can't stand this anymore. Perhaps if I can free some of these children, even just one… I must be careful. I must think of my daughter too. Even she won't be spared here. I must find out what those blood tests mean and what project they want to involve her in!'_

_'I took Jacob to lunch in the park and asked if he knew what Cassandra was but he didn't know. But he froze before answering me if he knew anything about what might be done to my daughter. He told me a better question might be what was done already. I didn't understand. He asked me if I'd had invitrofertilization. I nodded and asked why that was important. But Jacob refused to be any clearer. "Let's just say that normally too many cooks spoil the broth. But in your case, they made it better than it had a right to be!"_

_I felt sick. My daughter had been tampered with in my womb! How! "Your daughter is just as special as this boy Jarod." He said. "Her fate will probably be the same." I cried endlessly this afternoon. What do I do?'_

Miss Parker sat in the floor and dissolved into tears. She couldn't catch her breath. The edges of her world were going dim, then brown. She didn't hear the voice calling her name and then lifting her to the bed. She felt something placed over her nose and mouth and she became terrified.

_'No, Daddy, no! Please, Please! 'Daddy, please help me! I'm not dead!'_

_Her head was being cracked open! She was totally paralyzed. There was no light from the window except…she saw…Dr. Raines.'_

"Come back Miss Parker!" Jarod cried as she struggled to tear the bag from her face.

He'd come in to find her hyperventilating and passing out from lack of oxygen. She was obviously in the midst of reliving some terrifying memory. Probably of one of Raines' experiments. He had to try to cut through her terror.

"Miss Parker! It's Jarod! Can you hear me? C'mon, don't you want to wake up and put a bullet in my kneecap?"

Suddenly her struggles ceased and her dull eyes came back to vivid blue. She stared at him and her limp hand tried to find his. He picked it up and squeezed. After a few moments, her breathing evened out. Jarod took the bag away.

"Deep breaths, ok?"

She nodded still looking at him. Her eyes watered again. "Jarod?" Her voice was raw from trauma.

"Yes?" He asked knowing that she wanted answers.

"What did they do to me?"


	6. Gene

**Angel Sight: Gene**

_Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made._

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_Spoilers: Rules of Engagement, Indy, Bank, Jaroldo, Bloodlines, Toy Surprise_

**Miss Parker's Bedroom**

**The Summer House**

Jarod sat in one of the chairs under the window so he could be near Miss Parker as she slept. Last night, when repressed memories surfaced prompted by reading her mother's diary, Jarod felt he couldn't just tuck her in and leave. In fact he had calculated that she might experience just such a thing after their run in down in the Florida Keys where she'd experienced something similar. So last night, he'd hidden in her studio after leaving her mother's diary on her bed.

He looked over at the woman in bed. She lay on her stomach and clutched a pillow as if to hug it. Throughout the night she had cried pitifully in her sleep. It seemed Miss Parker slept no better than he did.

Jarod swallowed and his heart was heavy because he knew he had to push her further to unravel this mystery surrounding their mothers. There were still too many pieces that didn't fit together. He needed her to help to put them together.

At that moment, Miss Parker was startled out of a dream.

"Hey, you're safe." He said coming over to reassure her.

"Am I? Have I ever been safe?" She said sleepily. Miss Parker struggled to sit up but managed to lift her body against the headboard and cross her arms against her chest closing her robe. She was glad to be awake again. Nightmares had always plagued her. Last night was no different.

Jarod sat next to her on the bed emulating her position against the headboard and waited.

Parker turned her head to look at him and it reminded her of 12 year old Jarod. How he would observe her and believing she was a normal kid copied her movements and gestures. It always made her giggle endlessly.

Even the Miss Parker of today couldn't help but turn up the corners of her lips. "Stop that!"

"What?" He said innocently.

Jarod knew what he was doing. He remembered how foolish he must have looked to a young girl back then. But it had made her sadness go away for a little while it had been worth it. Miss Parker had a beautiful smile. Even now her eyes were dancing with amusement. Too soon it went away.

"The fact that you're still here, Jarod means you either want something or you have something else to show me." She said intuitively.

He sighed heavily. "I thought that two old friends could help each other."

"Old friends?" Miss Parker paused as though confused by the term. But the Pretender had a determined look on his face that the term was a truthful statement.

"We've been many things, Miss Parker. But always friends. Friends share truth."

"You mean the truth that Daddy handed me over to Raines to be just another Centre Project?" Parker got out of bed just wanting to splash water on her face and wash away her fears. "Came all this way to gloat, old friend?"

"Gloat?"

"To lord it over me, that I'm just as much a lab rat as you are!"

Before she could run for cover, he jumped up and into her escape path. "I've never taken pleasure in hurting you, Miss Parker." He said defensively. "I want the same thing your mother wanted. To see you free of the Centre. I want to help."

"Ahh! Onysius, the God of Retribution!" She commented softly. "I didn't know I could be considered one of the weak and helpless that you like to defend."

Jarod chuckled when he thought of Miss Parker as weak and helpless! She was formidable in her own right and had been difficult to fool or escape many times. He remembered leaving that origami figure to reveal his intentions to the Centre PTB after having been used for so long. But Jarod hadn't anticipated the Centre making Miss Parker his main pursuer and had to quickly adopt strategies of misdirection and distraction to throw his childhood friend off his trail.

"You see? Who else could have known what I was thinking? I'd been gone for weeks and no one else had a clue about what I was doing. How long did it take you to figure it out?"

"One minute, eleven seconds." Parker said matter of factly.

He raised his eyebrows at that.

"I admit your riddles got a little harder over time."

His face softened. "Why didn't you tell me that Lyle was using your little brother as a hostage for your cooperation? I could have…"

"No! Look, I thought about it, more than once. But Lyle told me if I went to anyone for help, Tommy would be shipped to equatorial Africa immediately! He's that important to them!"

"Is he another pretender?" he questioned.

"I don't know. But they are testing him. He may not even be my father's child. Lyle is now claiming to be his father. I'm not sure what to believe."

"More lies courtesy of the Centre." Jarod said bitterly.

Parker went into the bathroom and turned on the tap. After splashing her face she stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't know how to ask the next logical question. "What am I, Jarod? Am I like you? Or Angelo?…Just another Centre project?"

He handed her a hand towel. "You're a human being. Never forget that, Miss Parker. They want you to forget it. Don't let them take your humanity from you." When he thought that was clear to her he went on. "Now let's piece together what we both know."

Miss Parker dried her face. Then Jarod took her by the hand and led her downstairs to the dining room where the dining table had been turned into a makeshift worktable.

"I see you made yourself at home." She said sitting down.

He smiled and began. "Do you remember a few years ago when Sydney's brother Jacob died?"

Parker nodded as Jarod took out a scratch piece of paper and wrote out the word, GENE. "Yes, Jacob wrote that name before he died."

"Since reading your mother's diary and remembering my experience with the Centre's Alpha Project at Ellesmere, I've been wondering if 'GENE' isn't a name but a word."

"A word? You mean like genetics?"

"Or genetic manipulation."

"How's that possible? The Centre hadn't completed their mapping of the human genome to start cloning…"

"Not cloning, Miss Parker. Just manipulation. The way Raines altered Angelo. I think all the Red Files have been genetically altered."

"Including me..." She saw him nod.

Jarod reached for a large manila envelope and opened it. He took out what looked like various types of medical records. At the bottom of each record was a stamp. Some had the name Catherine Parker while others were stamped Baby Parker or Parker. Miss Parker practically snatched them from Jarod's hands.

"These are my mother's OB/GYN files! How did you get these?"

"You'll remember I broke into your father's house awhile back? It wasn't just your mother's letters I found."

Then it occurred to Parker when her father had been in hiding a year ago, she'd seen an old tattered envelope, with the words 'Baby Parker Medical Records', mixed in with his slush fund. She remembered their conversation.

_"Baby Parker? What was that?"_

_"It's nothing." Her father dismissed what she'd seen and quickly closed the strong box._

_"It looks like some kind of medical record…"_

_"Ah, it's ancient history."_

_"Is it mine or Lyle's?"_

_"Doesn't matter!" He shouted. And she knew the matter was closed. "Trust me. Someday when I have more time, I'll explain it all to you."_

Parker closed her eyes knowing she was going to hate her father' memory when this was over.

"What is it?" Jarod prompted.

"I saw something similar in my father's things a year ago but he wouldn't explain. Why would he have these, Jarod?"

"I don't know. These early records show a fetus at various stages of development with some irregularities."

"Just one fetus?"

He nodded. "The Centre had cutting edge technology back then. They had a crude version of the ultrasound. The problem was the treating physician couldn't detect two fetuses until Catherine's third trimester. The doctor thought he was manipulating one baby in the womb"

She felt ill again. "Let me guess, the treating physician was the Dr. Freakenstein himself, Raines! Did he do something to me or was it Lyle? Or both of us?"

Jarod lifted an ultra sound to show her and pointed. "It's impossible to know from these scans. These are later scans of you that show some irregularities in your brain scans. And here are Lyle's…Both show higher brain functions, double the normal amount of synapses that should be developing in unborn children…I'm not sure what it means."

Then he directed her to another scan. "This was taken a few days before your birth. You've both moved into the birth canal. It's pretty clear that you're the dominant twin from your size."

"It's not nice to comment on a lady's weight, Jarod." She said dryly as he examined the ultrasound.

Ignoring her sarcasm, he pointed out Lyle's test results. "Lyle is showing distress. His brain development has slowed. It probably made Catherine go into premature labor. "

"Leave it to little brother to bring the curtain down on both of us."

Jarod considered the possibilities. "There are theories that infants suffering distress at birth...in addition to whatever Raines did...well that could be the reason for his… tendencies."

"Never heard it put that way before." Miss Parker marveled that Jarod could pity Lyle after his own brother was killed by her twin. "I've always suspected Raines was the Triumvirate watchdog going way back. You think he genetically manipulated us in the womb at their direction?"

"I don't think so. Lyle was kidnapped by Raines for the Triumvirate to be kept as a hostage with the purpose of keeping Mr. Parker in line. I think whatever Raines did was done on his own as are most of his experiments."

"The ghoul would have waited until his handiwork showed progress before revealing what he'd done without sanction. So he ships Lyle off to NuGenesis to study his new hostage and he leaves Mr. Parker with a female heir."

"I don't think..."

"Don't sweat it, Jarod. Mr. Parker despised having me as his progeny." She told him defiantly. "It's why he couldn't wait to claim Lyle as his son."

Jarod reached across the table and placed his hand on top of one of her clenched fists. "What he despised is that no matter what he could never truly make you over into someone like himself."

Jarod's words only stirred up more angst in her. "But how could my mother not know what was happening to her? To her babies?" Parker said resentfully.

"You know what happened with Mirage. Your mother was manipulated from the very beginning."

"What do you mean?"

"There are memos from Mr. Parker and NuGenesis that correspond to dates in her diary. Your parents' meeting was pre-arranged. She may have fallen in love with him but…"

"Stop it!"

Jarod's remarks about Catherine Parker's marriage had come out harsher than he'd intended. He'd realized long ago Miss Parker was very sensitive, even thin skinned about the true nature of her parents' relationship. But she had to know. "Mr. Parker was given information from NuGenesis about your mother's background, childhood, education and especially about her Inner Sense. She was considered to be a genetic asset that the Centre had to have."

Parker watched as Jarod placed the memos in front of her but she refused to touch them. She couldn't acknowledge that her father hadn't never felt anything her mother. She'd seen him grieve on the DSA Angelo had given her. And still again at Faith's gravesite. It couldn't all be an act. Perhaps instead it had been guilt or regret?

"The Centre used Catherine Parker thinking that her future children would have the same Inner Sense. I'm sure they were monitoring you for signs of that gift throughout your life."

Miss Parker took a deep steadying breath and confirmed that for him. "Sydney speculated that the day we met, I was being tested by the Triumvirate not you. My mother said in her diary that I was being tested in stages in a project...Do you think they were expecting me to develop these...visions? "

"Project Cassandra. Mr. Parker was counting on you developing the Inner Sense." Jarod brought out another manila envelope, that she could see was marked, 'Miss Parker, Cassandra Project Age 3'. They were test scores for some kind of complex puzzles or brainteasers. A test she remembered taking.

"_Hello Miss Parker. How are you today?"_

"_I'm fine."_

"_My name is Mr. Meese."_

"_My daddy says I'm going to take some tests."_

"_That's right. Do you like puzzles?"_

_She nodded at him under strict orders from her father to do what she was told. But she didn't want to be here without Momma or Nurse._

_"What about guessing games?"_

_She nodded again._

_"Good! Today will be all fun and games!"_

_"No tests?"_

_"Not exactly! These are very hard riddles but I'm told that you are very smart!"_

Jarod watched her face. "You're remembering that day?" He said quietly, prodding her memory. He grasped her hand squeezed it for support. But she withdrew it just as quickly.

Miss Parker knew Jarod was empathizing with her but she hated the idea of being treated like a psychiatric patient. "The instructor told me I'd be playing games, solving puzzles. I don't think Momma knew where I was that day."

"Did anyone say anything about the project?"

"No. I – I don't remember..."

"It's ok. I've got something else. Something nice this time, I think."

Parker wiped her fingers through her hair and exhaled. She was anxious for something good to come out of this grueling look at her life.

Jarod laid out a piece of sheet music. It was done in the handwriting of a child, and looked like an original score. At the bottom of the first sheet, it was signed with the initials 'MP.'

"Oh my God! Where did you get this?" She said standing up and backing away from it.

Jarod was puzzled by her reaction. "You wrote this didn't you? I told you. I got all of these things from your Father's strongbox."

"You're a liar!" She screamed at him hysterically. Her eyes watered and her voice became choked with emotion. "I wrote that for my mother. She asked me… She asked me..."

"What did she ask you, Miss Parker?" He insisted, trying to force the memory. He stood and came closer to her.

"I don't know… I don't remember!" Parker could hear the music in her head but it sounded distorted just like the faded memory of her mother crying.

"Miss Parker, please. Are you seeing something? A vision? What is it? This music, does it mean something?"

"I don't know!"

"What did your mother ask you?" He asked her again quickly. He had to keep her from retreating from the memory.

_Parker could see her small hands touching the piano keys. Her mother was stroking her back...Then she kissed her head as she played. Miss Parker felt tears in her hair._

_She stopped to turn around but her mother urged her continue. "Go on baby. Play it for me."_

Suddenly Miss Parker was overwhelmed with fright. She shut out the memory."I'm going crazy!" She sobbed. "Sydney's going to put me in a cell next to Angelo!"

"Tell me why you wrote this. And why would your father keep this music in his strong box all these years. Why is this important?" Jarod asked in frustration.

Miss Parker's nerves were frazzled. "I swear I don't know."

"Do you remember if your mother asked you to compose this? Maybe it has something to do with her plan…"

"Jarod stop! You're just grasping at straws! Bits of paper and memory aren't' going lead you to some great conclusion!" She stormed up to him angrily. "I don't care about Raines' freakish experiments! Or whatever happened in the past! It means nothing to me now! All I care about is Tommy!"

"Clearly, you're avoiding memories that are important! They could tell us.."

Before he could go on, Miss Parker fled upstairs.

**The Centre Lobby**

Lyle walked through the halls with two Asian hotties following close behind him when his phone rang. "Lyle."

"Anything interesting?" he asked the caller. "Now that's what I want to hear!" He said in triumph. "No, no. I want you to send it to me. I want that ASAP!"

He closed his phone and ran for the elevators and pushed several people out of an open one. He kept the women from entering with him. When he got to his floor he exited entered his office but he was not alone. Raines was waiting for him.

"Did I miss an appointment, Dad?"

"What are you plotting?" Raines demanded

Ignoring him, Lyle made his way over to his desk and logged on to his terminal. He saw a data transfer take place. He'd never been happier. "Right to the point, Dad. I've always liked that about you. However for you to accuse anyone of plotting…That phrase about the pot and kettle comes to mind."

"I have my own spies in Africa too! I know you're sniffing around looking to replace me but I'm warning you!"

The charming smile abruptly dropped from his Lyle's face revealing the cold killer. "Warning me of what?"

Raines realized he wasn't handling Lyle in the smartest way. _ 'Never bring a snake to your bosom'_. He thought. "You're no different than your sister. She still wants me dead for killing Catherine."

Lyle was unfazed, "Our mother was a liability to the Centre. Like you."

"What!" Raines couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Lyle came around his desk and up to the old man. "May I remind you that most of the Centre's major losses can be dropped right at your feet? How many projects did you screw up? Went out of control? I explained to the Triumvirate that none of those failures was your fault of course! But they did have to consider all the potential that is now virtually useless to the Centre."

"How dare you!" The old man wheezed.

Lyle remained unruffled as he spoke. "Where did they get you, Raines, a mad scientist convention?"

Raines practically tripped over his tank trying to get out of the room and Lyle smirked knowing that he'd be back with Willy his pet sweeper to make a move on him...But now was his time. He had persuaded the Raines's leadership as Chairman would only bankrupt them and now he had the goods on his last rival! Finally, the computer transfer chimed its completion. Lyle sat in his chair and hit play. He became transfixed by the images on screen.

"Oh yeah!"

He picked up his office phone and dialed. "Get everything ready for my immediate arrival! I moved up my timetable. Things are falling into place faster than I anticipated."

**The Summer House - The Kitchen**

Jarod was cooking an omelet when Miss Parker came into the kitchen dressed for work.

"I hope you like Southwestern." He offered. "I learned to do this when I was a short order cook in El Paso."

"I never eat breakf….I haven't been shopping! Where did you find food to make an omelet?"

"Do you know you have very nice neighbors? You should really talk to them more often. Mrs. Gills just up the hill was nice enough to let me have all this until we could go shopping."

Annoyed, "Until we could go shopping? Who told you to go to my neighbors? Let alone that you'd be staying here? There's only one place I had in mind for you."

Ignoring her usual bluster about dragging him back to the Centre, "Well I had to get food from somewhere and I couldn't get to the store and back by the time you were dressed. Mrs. Gills was more than happy to do it. After all it isn't everyday that your cousin from Cleveland comes in unexpectedly. Although she did give me the oddest look when I told her I was your cousin."

"You idiot! Because she thinks you're my lover!"

"Why would she think that?"

"Jarod!" She screamed in frustration.

He sighed but didn't look up as he pushed the finished omelet onto a plate for her. "You haven't eaten since yesterday. Are you even going to try this?"

Petulantly, she stomped over to the kitchen island and sat on the bar stool. A delighted pretender placed the plate and a table setting in front of her.

"I'll be working this off for two hours tonight!" She said tasting the eggs. They were good. She hated that he was so damn good at everything!

Jarod watched happily as she continued to eat.

Parker rolled her at his proud expression as she ate. "You know with all the junk you eat it's a miracle you stay in such good shape."

"You noticed my shape, Miss Parker?" He smirked.

She denied having any lascivious thoughts when it came to Jarod. "Only so far as the Centre asks me to."

"Of course."

Parker found Jarod staring. "What is it?" She said putting down her fork and wiping her mouth.

"How did you find me?" He wondered aloud.

"You mean in St. Louis?"

Jarod nodded.

"I don't know."

"You must know. How did you get your visions to work?"

She shrugged. "It was an accident. There was no rhyme or reason. I tried to work it out logically but nothing was happening and then boom! There you were in my head."

"Did you use pychometry? Touching things I'd touched, like Angelo?"

"I tried that. It didn't work."

"So what were you doing right before you had your…"

"Please don't say vision! I really hate being compared to some cheap strip mall psychic!"

He chuckled, "Ok what were you doing before your _revelation_."

She rolled her eyes. "I was thinking of the day after we first met."

"Ah yes, I remember it well!" He said overjoyed that she would remember it fondly. When you found me in the lab, I was imagining your skin that day and how it would feel."

"Jarod! Could we not go there! I really don't want to hear about your pre-pubescent fantasies!"

"I was looking at a book of nude sculptures, I couldn't help but go there! So anyway you were concentrating on that memory?"

"Well, yes. That day something strange happened. We…well, our hands…" She stopped unable to explain herself.

"You mean this?" Jarod reached out and took her hand in his own. His palm moved and prayed with hers.

The same effect took over as that day. Miss Parker felt warm all over and her palm and skin buzzed.

"Can you feel it?" He said.

She was amazed. She tried to intertwine her fingers with his but he refused.

"I was just thinking…remembering how soft your palm felt against mine. And remember feeling..."

Jarod leaned closer, snaked his arm around hers and whispered. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this,- My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

The Pretender delivered another stunning kiss! His tongue licked at her lips and finally gained entrance to her mouth. Without thinking she sucked at him greedily. Wanting nothing more than to drag him into the chair with her.

"Oh god!" Parker said regaining her senses and breaking away. "I always was a sucker for literature."

Jarod cleared his throat and tried to settle his hormones. "I'll have to make a note of that."

But she only gave him a wary look.

Getting back to business as best he could, he cleared his mind. "So… you used memory to uh…to help bring about visualization."

Clearing her throat too, she said. "Yes, right visualization."

They paused and just looked at one another not sure what to do. Jarod looked away first.

"Give me give me a chance, Miss Parker."

Startled she asked, "A chance?"

"To try to get your brother out and to get the answers we both need?"

Parker breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he'd meant something else entirely. "Jarod, Lyle's breathing down my neck. It's only a matter of time before he feels comfortable enough to take out any obstacles to his taking over."

"I won't need much time."

Just then Miss Parker's phone rang. She flipped it out knowing it could only be Broots or Sydney telling her she's late. "What?"

"What does he want? Another report on Rat boy? What a surprise!" She said smiling evilly at the Pretender. Jarod blew her kiss and began doing the dishes.

"I'll be right in! Don't wet your pants!" She said and hung up. She turned to Jarod. "Gotta go. And you're going to…?"

"Do a little snooping today in the Centre mainframe."

Miss Parker looked sheepish. "You can't. I don't have any internet connections here."

"I'll manage."

"Jarod, a netcard connection will get you bounced from the mainframe instantly. And don't get any ideas about setting up any Pretender style command center here. This is my home and sanctuary away from the Centre. I never wanted it to follow me here."

"Ok-ay." Already he was planning on how to create a T-line into the house without tearing up her rosebushes.

Parker found her purse but she didn't like the look on Jarod's face. It screamed that he was planning on doing something unorthodox. "Jarod stay away from my neighbors! Are we clear?"

"Crystal!" He smiled and waved goodbye.


	7. Dark Twin

**Angel Sight: Dark Twin**

*****This chapter has been edited with plot changes.*****

_Disclaimer: _I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made.

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_Spoilers: Bank, Toy Surprise, Til Death Do Us Part_

_**Rating alert! This chapter has an R rating. It has some very disturbing themes and mature subject matter! Please be warned ahead of time! **_

_**Author's Note: Thanks everyone for the reviews! Please keep them coming! I'm glad that you're liking it so far. : )**_

**Triumvirate Headquarters, Equatorial Africa**

**Council Board Room**

Members of the Ruling Council of the Triumvirate were gathered for their first meeting since appointing Mr. Raines as Chairman. Across the long African teak wood conference table they arguments and insults flew back and forth. The high ceilings echoed the booming voices of dissension. The Council members seemed to be leaderless but for one member, a slight but tall man who went from one group to another trying to calm the tempers flaring. At that moment, a broad shouldered African entered the board room and everyone turned and quieted. Ngele Nfazo had dressed in Armani with his clan's traditional sash across his chest. He thumped his gold ceremonial scepter in his palm, knowing that he commanded the attention of the lesser Council members. He motioned for the members to take their seats. He waited for them to be seated before he spoke.

"Since the loss of the scrolls, we have been at odds over how to proceed in the recovery of the prophecies. It is my decision to revive the Cassandra Project."

Members began murmuring and others began to shout their disapproval.

"You cannot revive that project, Ngele! That woman is like her mother! Or don't you remember Catherine Parker?"

"She is bad luck!" shouted another member.

Ngele shouted over them all. "It is done! Mr. Lyle is delivering her to the Triumvirate as we speak."

The peacemaker who had been trying to calm other members now spoke his disapproval. "And what is Mr. Lyle asking for in exchange? Control of the Centre? We all know that his …outside pursuits make him a disaster waiting to happen! Within weeks after losing Mr. Parker, you would destabilize the Centre again by making _**him**_ Chairman?"

"Ayize, I have accepted that it is your goal to oppose me on all things. But I didn't know you were so attached to Mr. Raines and his failures!" Ngele's supporters snickered. "Mr. Lyle will prove his worth." Ngele replied.

But Ayize was not finished. "And how will Mr. Lyle do that?"

Ngele simply turned and left the room. He'd made his will known.

**On the road to The Centre**

Miss Parker was driving the highway from her home outside the Blue Cove city limits, when her mind wandered to thoughts of Jarod.

_'God! That bit about him pretending he was Romeo! It was so cornball!" She smiled to herself. "It was just a pick up line! What was I thinking kissing him?' She thought. _

Still she had to admit that she had never felt like that during a kiss! It may have been a cheesy pick up line but it worked! She'd melted like butter!

Up ahead on the highway, Parker saw road workers redirecting traffic around their construction. She slowed her car for the city worker holding her side of traffic to a halt while cars from the opposite direction passed.

Parker nearly sank in her seat. Her mind which had been replaying Jarod's kiss now reminded her of lost love. The man in front of her car was wearing a red Pendleton just like the one Thomas Gates had always worn.

_She groaned. "Tommy would say Fate is trying to tell me something. I guess I need to put the brakes on this thing with Jarod before it gets out of hand."_

Just then, the Pendleton wearing worker waved to get her attention as the lead car. "You're ok to go on now." He told her.

Parker nodded dumbly and drove off. As she did she felt a cool wind caress her face giving her chills all over.

_'You see? You're ok to go on.' She heard Thomas's voice clearly. 'It's Fate, Parker. Time to love again.' _

**Miss Parker's Summer House**

Back at the house, Jarod had just finished running a 'borrowed' phone cable into Miss Parker's yard sing some tools from a shed out back. His intention was to turn it into his own dedicated T1 line. While working he recognized the initials on the tools as having belonged to Thomas Gates. Then it occurred to him that Thomas could be the reason Miss Parker had been pulling away from him. Perhaps he had miscalculated the time it would take for her to be ready to love again. Jarod had consulted with Sydney previously about how much time might be needed for someone to come out of mourning. Sydney instantly knew he was speaking of Miss Parker. The older man hadn't discouraged Jarod from revealing his feelings but he wasn't hopeful that Miss Parker was ready to hear it. He hadn't any doubts this morning about whether Miss Parker was ready. Jarod felt desire coming off her in waves.

Still he wanted more than the obvious. Miss Parker was beautiful, but she was also intelligent, funny, kind. Well….if you caught her at the right time. Miss Parker had it inside herself to be the same wonderful person she was as a girl. But she never allowed herself the privilege of feeling anything other than the age old anger and bitterness that had been building all her life. Her negative emotions fueled her life and actions. They made her instincts as his huntress accurate and deadly. But the embrace of vengeance and rage had taken its toll on her life, relationships and even her health.

Jarod wanted to give her back her smile the way he had this morning when he sat next to her in bed. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else he could give her as long as the Centre wanted him back. He could never give her the home and stability she craved as long as he was a fugitive. Still happiness didn't come from a healthy bank account or possessions. Something she had confessed when they had been held hostage together in the Dover Town Bank.

Jarod put down his shovel. He knew he had better replace Miss Parker's azaleas before she got home. This had been her mother's home and she'd made few changes since moving into her childhood home.

In the last few years, Miss Parker had become an obsessive collector of anything that belonged to her mother. Since coming back to Blue Cove Miss Parker had chosen to live in the Parker summer house to be close to her mother's memory. She collected numerous mementos of Catherine's life. Part of that was due to him. He had awakened in her a need to know the truth about her mother's death. However, Miss Parker's hunger for the past led her to preserve and embalm it. Yet it was a paradox, some parts of Catherine's past were still too painful for Miss Parker to face.

Jarod went in the house and continued to setup his new connection in the dining room. Now ready he sat at his laptop and began his excursion into the Centre Network. Over the years, Jarod had gotten used to scanning the Centre Network for information or breaking into the email and files of the residents of the Tower. While Mr. Parker directory no longer existed, he still had other avenues to investigate.

Knowing Raines' password by heart, he skipped right into his files for a quick scan of any file recently modified. Unfortunately, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then he did a search for any reference to Project Cassandra and still came up empty.

_"He may have purged it from the mainframe but it could be somewhere on-site." He thought. _

Parker would have to get Broots to sweep Raines' office and any surveillance of the sub-levels where the tests actually occurred. But first he'd have to get Miss Parker to admit the existence of Project Cassandra.

He setup a search for references to music, Miss Parker and Catherine. While it was running he got up to make himself a sandwich. Before Jarod could take his first bite, a dated folder marked 'Cassie's Treatment Files' popped up.

"Cassie's Treatment File?" Jarod checked the folder's directory and surmised that Raines was trying to bury this file beneath old patient files. On opening it, Jarod found dozens of documents which appeared to be journal entries. Each entry was sent as a memorandum to the Triumvirate and cc'd to Mr. Parker. The entries were dated for several months beginning after Catherine Parker's death.

Jarod grimaced. "Your wife wasn't dead a week before you hand your daughter over to that butcher!" He cursed Mr. Parker in hell and dove into the first entry.

_April 21, 1970_

_The girl cries constantly and will not eat. I am unable to do anything with her current state of mind._

"She was grieving, you bastard!" Jarod knew he'd have to hold his temper to get through the case files on Miss Parker.

_April 24, 1970_

_Mr. Parker has spoken to Miss Parker. She is still very unfocused and rarely speaks unless spoken to. She totally avoids my questions about Catherine. I'm told she will not enter her mother's rooms. I am curious if her Inner Sense gives her any insight into Catherine's demise._

_April 29, 1970_

_Miss Parker still has trouble controlling her emotions and has developed a destructive habit! When I push her to talk about Catherine she will put her fist to her mouth to keep from crying. At times she seems to struggle with breathing. Clearly, this could lead to self-asphyxiation either accidentally or deliberately. It is my recommendation that the girl be put on suicide watch. I've informed the nurse._

"My God!" Jarod hadn't realized how much Catherine's death had affected Miss Parker.

He remembered those first few weeks after Catherine Parker had died. He kept asking Sydney about Miss Parker. As usual Sydney evaded his question or tried to distract him. So he'd wait for her to roam the halls or enter during his lab time. But weeks went by without her. Now he knew why.

_May 7, 1970_

_Hypnosis has been unsuccessful. As damage control is imperative after Catherine's death, cleaners have closely examined her Mrs. Parker's possessions and effects in her office and home. A musical composition was found that was written by her daughter. We are convinced that this composition which was found hidden in Catherine's office has something to do with whatever she was planning. Mr. Parker has questioned Miss Parker but she still becomes hysterical when broaching the subject of her mother. Her father has tried to coax her to play the piece but she refuses. We've also tried to tell her that her mother would want her to begin the healing process by playing it. She remains unresponsive due to feelings of abandonment. Drugs will needed for any further questioning._

Jarod was both disgusted with Raines and Mr. Parker and proud of Miss Parker for resisting them.

_May 8.1970_

_I've administered a drug that has created a false sense of reality for Miss Parker. Today she was able to play her composition. She told us that the song was created for her mother's use. It must be some sort of key, perhaps a code. The Centre's cryptographers are working to break it. Unfortunately, before Miss Parker could tell us anymore she seemed to hear voices and visualize Catherine in the room. _

_We were very pleased with this advancement. This has been the first occasion of visions documented by the Centre since her initial testing at age 3. Her gift has been more cultivated than originally thought. It would seem Catherine hid her daughter's Inner Sense development. Unfortunately, Miss Parker seemed to suffer a psychotic break. At the urging of these voices she blamed me for her mother's death. She attacked me and two orderlies were needed to restrain her. She is in the Renewal Wing under sedation._

Jarod's heart broke. "She knew deep down, even then. A little girl drugged, lied to and manipulated knew what her mother's fate would be!"

_May 11, 1970_

_A disturbing change in Miss Parker's personality has arisen. The girl is sullen, smart-mouthed, and even angry. She frequently disobeys rules and skips her tutoring sessions. _

Jarod put his head in hands. There it was. He'd always wondered when she'd turned from just sad to carrying around a heart full of anger. She seemed to have no other motivation as she floated through life. It was because they pushed her beyond her limits. He looked across at the sheet music carefully written out by a young Miss Parker and picked it up.

_"What did the music mean? What did Catherine tell you, Miss Parker?" He wondered._

**The Centre**

Miss Parker walked into the Centre Lobby and Angelo watched from a nearby vent.

_"Dark twin. Miss Parker stay away!" He warned her silently._

Parker walked as quickly as she could to the elevator. Unusual for this time of day, she stood alone waiting for the next car to arrive. Her mobile phone rang again and she answered it abruptly. "I'm on my way up!" She yelled and hung up.

When she turned to the elevator doors she caught what she thought was her reflection off the metallic doors. But the image she saw startled her and she jumped back. It wasn't her reflection at all. Her mother's reflection stood in place of hers.

_Miss Parker looked down at her body to confirm that she was still herself but was equally shocked. Her clothing had changed. And her hair… She was in her mother's body! _

_Parker couldn't breathe. The air was still and world drained of color as though she were in a black and white movie. What did this mean? _

Then the elevator doors chimed. The doors opened and everything was brought back to normal around her. But she was afraid. The elevator doors chimed again and began to close. She could not get in that elevator! Her entire body tensed and was rigid. This had to be her Inner Sense! Finally the doors closed. Miss Parker was certain now that she was in danger! She turned and headed back across the lobby for the exit! However, just before she reached the door, Willie, the sweeper appeared.

"Miss Parker, Mr. Raines, and Mr. Lyle are waiting for you in your office."

"You can tell them I'll be right up. I just have to get my briefcase out of the car." She said coolly.

"I can get that for you." The sweeper insisted.

Warning bells continued to go off in her head. "Since when do you fetch for me?"

"You're expected immediately, Miss Parker."

Several sweepers appeared and Parker was flanked which made it impossible for her to escape. Her sense of dread grew but she didn't lose the bitchiness in her tone. "This had better be good!"

When Miss Parker was escorted to her office, she saw Lyle sitting behind her desk. The office itself looked as if a tornado had ripped it apart. Sydney and Broots stood to the side flanked by still more sweepers. Sydney face had the implacable look he'd learned to put on over the years but Broots just looked terrified. On the other side of Lyle, Raines seemed to be confused.

"Finally, our key player has arrived!" Lyle said getting up.

"Can I help you find something?" She dramatized as she looked around.

"Oh we were looking for further evidence." He said smugly.

"Evidence? You got me Lyle. The password to my Swiss bank account is under the desk calendar!" Miss Parker said dripping with sarcasm.

"Parker!" Sydney called out.

She looked back at her old friend across the room. Sydney's eyes indicated concern and she realized how serious this was. This was Lyle's big play for power. She turned back to Lyle. "I'll bite. What have you got?"

Amused with her challenge, Lyle came around the desk. "I thought you'd never ask."

He came close enough to look her in the eye and he took time to appreciate the fragrance of her Chanel. "So how long have you been …involved with Jarod?"

Parker was careful not to flinch thereby confirming Lyle's accusation. She paused before answering. The wrong answer could get her killed. "You mean other than devoting my life to chasing him for the last few years?"

"Funny that you'd use the word devotion in regards to Jarod. I think you need to explain who you are devoted to!" Lyle turned the display on her computer. He clicked on a video file and when it began to play she saw herself and Jarod in the mens bathroom in St. Louis. "You were going to explain your devotion...to Jarod, right Sis?"

She felt like she'd been kicked. She was going to have find a way out of this. "So you've been showing romantic comedies to my staff?" She dismissed him. She turned to Sydney and Broots. She knew she wasn't fooling Sydney. He'd long suspected a change in her attitude toward Jarod. Broots on the other hand looked like he was hoping the video was faked.

It went against Miss Parker's grain to beg her psycho brother for a chance to explain. But Broots was about to cry so she had to try to deflate the situation. "If you'll notice, it was Jarod who kissed me. Not the other way around, Lyle. You're making more of what happened than you should." She threatened him.

Lyle had to give his sister credit! She had stones! Still...

"Sorry Sis. But you'll have to explain yourself to the Triumvirate." He said almost gleefully and instructed Willie to have the jet prepared.

"No T-board?" Sydney inquired hoping Miss Parker could at least buy absolution from them albeit a grueling experience.

"Not this time." Lyle remarked. "The Triumvirate believes that adjustments are needed."

Parker knew that meant re-education. Daddy had told her many times that the Triumvirate was infamous for the torture and re-education of their subjects. Mr. Parker having recently been through re-education before his death had called his jailers, 'Efficient Barbarians'!

"Guess I should brush up on my Zulu." Miss Parker said to know one in particular.

Lyle laughed and came up in back of her which sent chills down her back. He ran his hand up her backside and reached under her jacket and found her gun. Parker hated his touch and Lyle knew she hated it. He enjoyed disarming her and after placing her weapon on the desk, he continued moving his hands up and down her body to frisk her. He kicked her legs apart and pushed her across the desk so she had to bend at the waist. Parker felt vulnerable and tried to remain calm as her brother leaned down over her. "I'm disappointed, Parker! First you spread for the shop teacher and now the lab-rat? You do love slumming!" He pushed up her skirt to run his hand along the insides of her strong firm thighs on the pretense of searching her. "What a waste!" He paused his hand for effect below her sex to watch her squirm.

Parker bit her tongue hard to push down the rage she felt! She had some choice words for the cannibal and it took all her restraint not to whip around and kill him where he stood! But he had the upper hand with so many sweepers in the room. There was no way to fight them all. She would need to think her way out of this!

Finishing his rough and invasive pat down, Lyle looked her body up and down his desire clearly stoked. "Any other weapons?" He teased.

"None you need to worry about." She smiled sweetly and stood again.

The whole time Sydney had been watching, he was sick as he watched Lyle sexually harassing his sister! Worse, Lyle was having Miss Parker Centre transferred to the Triumvirate which either meant reeducation or literally a death sentence! If Miss Parker came back from Africa alive she would never be the same! He'd seen too many Centre employees return from Africa mere ghosts of their former selves. He just couldn't let that happen to the woman about who he cared so much. He'd promised Catherine. So Sydney made his move.

"Easy there, Sydney. We don't want you to make any fatal mistakes. " laughed Lyle as a few sweepers circled the psychiatrist.

Sydney was about to disregard Lyle's warning to get to Parker's gun when she demanded he stop. "I appreciate the thought, Syd but you need to look after yourself now." Miss Parker then turned to Broots, "We had a good run, Shaggy. Just remember what I told you in that elevator awhile back. And tell Debbie to pick a better role model."

Lyle was so amused. "Great stuff, Sis! The noble goodbye speech to the troops! Love it. Very touching. If you've finished now, I think it's time for you and I to leave for the airport!"

Raines wheezed happily. His son had won over his sister. He could overlook Lyle's slip of the tongue earlier. "I agree."

"Actually 'Dad', you'll be coming with us."

"What!"

Lyle motioned for a few of the sweepers. "Take Mr. Raines to the car. We'll be leaving immediately."

"So this is a coup?" Parker's question dripped with contempt.

"A bloodless one. So far." Taking his sister by the arm, he pulled her from the room. The sweepers confiscated her gun and followed leaving Sydney and Broots alone in her wrecked office.

"What are we gonna do, Syd?"

"What did Miss Parker mean about what she told you in the elevator?"

"She told me once that I should take Debbie and get away from the Centre."

"Then I think you should do as she asked Broots."

"No! Sydney, we can't just let Lyle take Miss Parker to Africa! We…we have to stop him somehow!"

Sydney was also determined to stop Lyle. "If it's the last breath I draw! We will!"

The psychiatrist went to Miss Parker's bookcase and pulled out a special case she'd hidden there. He opened it and pulled out a Luger handgun. The gun was etched with a circle of fire on the handle. It was the gun that they thought had been used to kill Catherine Parker.

Just then Angelo meekly entered the room and went over to the laptop still displaying the looped video of his two friends. Sydney who was loading the luger became short tempered with the empath. "Not now Angelo!"

"Jarod should know. Miss Parker needs Jarod."

Sydney and Broots looked at each other. How did Angelo expect them to contact Jarod?

Angelo pointed at the phone. "Jarod at Miss Parker's home. Call Jarod."

Sydney's eyes widened and he reached for the phone. "My God, could he possibly be at Miss Parker's house." He dialed Parker's home phone number praying that Pretender would pick up her phone.

Miss Parker's phone rang three times before Jarod heard the machine pick it up. "Jarod! Jarod, if you're there pick up! Please pick up the phone! Hurry!"

Jarod was immediately alarmed hearing Sydney's distraught voice and ran to pick up the receiver. "Sydney, what is it?"

"Miss Parker's been taken!"

"What?"

"Lyle. He accused Parker of having a relationship with you. He had some videotape of the two of you in St. Louis."

"Dammit, I should have checked for cameras!"

"He's taking her to Africa, Jarod. Raines, too. He's getting rid of both of them and taking over the Centre."

"Sydney meet me at the Centre airstrip and have Broots look at possible flight plans they might take. We're getting her back!"


	8. His Other Half

**Angel Sight: His Other Half**

_Disclaimer: _I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made.

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_Spoilers: Bank, Toy Surprise, Til Death Do Us Part, Homefront_

_**Rating alert! This chapter has an R rating. It has some very disturbing themes and mature subject matter! ***Twincest*** Please be warned ahead of time! **_

_**Author's Note: I hope everyone wasn't too weirded out by the last chapter. Lyle has even more in store for Miss Parker, I'm afraid. If you've read this story before, don't rely on prior knowledge. This is the chapter where the plot changes a lot. I love hearing from you, so keep the reviews coming. **_

Two Centre limos drove along Delaware's scenic coastal highway. Lyle and Miss Parker sat alone in one of the limos. She sat across from him and tried to ignore that he'd been staring at her since they left the Centre 45 minutes ago.

As the limo drove through a large iron gate and up a long gravel driveway, Lyle sighed feeling at home in the shadow of his estate. He'd purchased this property a year ago and had spent a fortune to build it to reflect the Southeast Asian culture he had called home for so many years.

_When Lyle had arrived in the Golden Triangle on the Thai side of the border nearly ten years ago, he immediately bought a small army to protect the cache of arms he commandeered from Raul Zenega, his ex-partner in Mexico. Although he was new player in town, business was good. His best customers were the ex-military involved in the heroin trade and human trafficking. Colonel Chen Thon, a former officer in the Khmer Rouge now a millionaire drug lord was good enough to provide him with introductions to the right people. At Thon's advice he expanded his enterprise to laundering drug money which made him a millionaire several times over. _

_Soon Thon became a good drinking buddy. Lyle had quickly g__rown tired of watching Muay Thai boxers and cockfighting. __He liked a good time and Thon provided entertainment outside of the boring past times of the locals. Most specifically, his favorite past time, women! Women had been trafficked in from all over Asia. Thon was a patron of the best brothels in the province. And because he was an associate, Lyle scored the most beautiful women! He was fascinated by the shapely Asian beauties in their embroidered sarongs. Perhaps growing up in the sticks, had made him hungry for something different..._

"_Hungry..." He mused. What an apt way to put it. As it turned it out, he had a hunger he never dreamed of._

_It was only a matter of time before he got a reputation for playing rough with women. When one of the brothel owners complained about his enthusiasm with one of his girls, Thon stepped in on his behalf. He paid for the 'damage' and took him aside. He'd expected Thon to give him some embarrassing speech about how to treat women. Instead Thon invited him to__a party to be held the next evening at a private club during the annual celebration of Phi Ta Khon. _

"_It is like Halloween in the West" Thon told him. Then the Colonel gave him some helpful cultural tips._

"_To make your pleasure more enjoyable, Mr. Lyle, stop by one of the local temples in the morning. Villagers will be there to listen to the monks recite the sacred sermons of Buddha. Very devout people...with very devout young girls who pray for blessings. If you turn on that American charm, you can have a naive girl willing to show a lonely American the festival. Bring her to the party. We'll make sure you have a good time."_

_He was more than eager to take Thon's advice and did as he suggested. It was always easy to lure women. They were naturally trusting of an easy smile and smooth charm. As if danger could only come in the form of some thug. This time was no different. He picked a girl of just seventeen who'd come alone. Her name meant Orchid. She was aptly named, delicate with the softest ivory skin, beautiful...Too beautiful to be praying for a marriage to some rice farmer. _

_While she was presenting food to the Buddha, he fumbled with lighting incense. She offered to help him and he struck up a conversation. He pretended to listen while she explained customs, traditions, blah, blah, blah. They left the temple together and followed the colorful street procession through town. After he impressed her with his knowledge of northern Thai cuisine by ordering __Kai yang grilled chicken and grated papaya salad, t__hey fed each other sticky rice and hot chiles. He couldn't wait to touch her. He picked up an ice cube and traced her lips to cool the burn of the chiles. He was rock hard already. The sun went down and she made excuses about going home but he traced the inside of her thigh under the table, and whispered promises of things to come that evening. His Orchid melted like butter. Upon leaving he purchased ghosts masks for them and headed for Thon's club. _

_When they arrived a carnival atmosphere reigned. The festival had turned into a bawdy fertility rite evidenced by the throngs of the colorful, masked tricksters with bell-like ornaments hung around their waists and brandishing painted phalluses of wood. The masked men were harassing the available women. And some not so available women! His date's discomfort with strange men groping her and jabbing at her with wooden oversized painted penises amused him immensely. But he played the gentlemen and spirited her away to the dance floor where other party goers were dancing boisterously to the cheerful rhythm of a local band. Rockets were being shot from the far end of the compound and lit the sky above them. As the pounding beat moved them, he felt his little Orchid open for him. He fondled and aroused her until she was out of breath. He knew it was time to find a room and get the real party started._

_Just then through the crowd he saw Thon who was with his own luscious flower. The Colonel gestured for him to go up to the main house and he nodded. _

_At the main house, Thon greeted them._

"_I am so glad you could come tonight. Welcome young lady."_

"_Her name is Orchid" Lyle told him._

_Thon gave a wolfish smile, "Perfect. Please join us upstairs."_

"_Join you?" Then he got it. The Colonel was a swinger! Lyle had never tried it but it appealed to him to have an audience._

_Orchid blushed and tried to pull away. She was so innocent. So ripe. His body was on fire to be inside her, to be pounding her with cock and his fists. He just had to make it to the bedroom. She was ready for all his fury..._

_Lyle followed Thon, dragging Orchid upstairs. He trembled with anticipation as Orchid began to scream, scratch and claw all the way to her deathbed. _

_At the end of the Phi Ta Khon festival, people tossed their ghostly masks in the river to signify that all the evil spirits had been chased away. But for the first time in his life, Lyle felt his evil spirits emerge unrestrained. _

Lyle owed his old friend for helping him find himself. Thon, now renamed Ki Mok had come to the States Lyle had been only too glad to sponsor him. And why not make some money in the process. He got him a commission as Cultural Liaison at the local Port Authority and then had him open a pipeline to smuggle in heroin from their old stomping grounds. But Jarod just had to spoil a good thing! Thankfully Lyle was able to take care of his "loose end" before Miss Parker could tattle to the Triumvirate. His only regret was the look on Parker's face when she confronted him with his past. His twin sister had yet to understand.

"This doesn't look like an airstrip." She said dryly. Her scorn brought him back from his sentimental musings.

"Very perceptive." He said practically brimming with excitement at the prospect of showing his sister her hidden divinity. "Come inside."

"I don't suppose I have a choice?"

"Not really." He reached for her hand but she refused to give it to him. Lyle seemed almost disappointed but got out and waited like a gentleman for her to get out of the car. At the second car, Raines was hauled out and taken into a side entrance, as he shouted obscenities at his 'son'.

Before going in the front door of the gleaming mansion, Miss Parker noticed Thai characters on a marble block outside the house, "_Phi Ta Khon"_ and the same snake eating itself that had been tattooed on Lyle's arm. The tattooed symbol that was the Cambodian symbol for cannibalism. Suddenly she had a bad feeling she was being invited to dinner.

They entered the house and Parker felt as though she's stepped into a Asian temple. It reminded her of a Balinese temple she'd visited once to see a golden reclining Buddha.

"No Buddha?"

"I'm a spiritual guy without it." He steered her through the main hall. High ceiling, dark woods, marble columns with gold…it was as if they were on a tour of a museum.

"So why do you call this place _Phi Ta Khon_? I know you spent time Thailand? With your good cannibal buddy, Ki Mok, right?"

Lyle laughed. "Mmm, the Thai people are very hospitable."

"I'll bet you had a blast." She said as she walked around.

Lyle laughed. "I know you're stalling for time, Sis. That's what I'd do I were you. Show's you how alike we really are."

"We are nothing alike!" Miss Parker turned to him and emphasized with venom.

He ignored her bad mood. "So you can read the Thai language? What do you know about Phi Tha Khon?" He steered her to his gardens where they walked by a koi pond.

Parker jogged her memory. "Tommy Tanaka once took me to the Hungry Ghost Festival called O-bon. It's the same isn't it?"

"Tommy Tanaka, your Yakuza ex-boyfriend from college." He spat bitterly.

"Ahh, you remember him?" She mocked him.

"How could I forget?" Lyle said angrily rubbing the knuckle where his thumb had been.

Miss Parker smiled triumphantly that she'd gotten under Lyle's skin. "Tommy told me it was a festival that originated in China and but was celebrated all over Asia. There's some sort of story about two lovers whose affair was opposed by their parents and who were accidentally sealed in a cave and died there. The spirits of the dead came to be their attendants and give them divine power. The Japanese considered it to be an All Souls Day when the dead walk amongst the living. What is this about Lyle?"

"Phi Ta Khon is the one day of the year when Heaven and Hell are opened and the dead walk the realm of the living. Family members leave offerings for the spirits to absolve the sufferings of the deceased." He paused and faced her deliberately. "Maybe this is about putting an end to your pain, Miss Parker. Maybe this is about our mother."

Parker didn't want to hear Lyle mock their mother's death. She turned to walk away but he stopped her.

"That's what you want, isn't it?"

**The Centre Private Airstrip**

Sydney still held Miss Parker's loaded Luger as he watched one of the Centre's jets being fueled.

"Be careful with that. It looks old enough to blow up in your face."

Sydney was used to the Pretender's dramatic entrances. "I've been watching since I got here. No one has gone aboard or come off the jet. Lyle and Parker aren't here, Jarod."

"So where are they?" asked an anxious Jarod. Jarod used his cell phone to call Broots. "Have you got a lead on the flight plans?"

Broots talked excitedly. "This is weird. They filed a plan to leave for Africa but they aren't scheduled to leave until tonight. So I tried putting a track on all calls Mr. Lyle made in and out of the Centre. He made a few to Africa of course but he also made two calls to a residence at Slaughter Beach, Delaware about twenty minutes before they left."

"Good, can you get me…"

"Already on it. I'm sending you GPS US instructions. 113 South to State Rd 1, boom you're in Slaughter Beach."

"Broots, one more thing. Find out if Lyle or the Centre owns a house or something there and get back to me." He hung up and turned to his old mentor.

"Stay here in case they show up."

"Where are you going?" Sydney stopped him seeing how intense the young man was.

"Lyle's throwing a beach party."

**Lyle's Estate**

"You can hear our mother, Miss Parker?"

Parker said nothing. Her communication with her mother's voice was private. It wasn't something she shared easily. And only with those she trusted!

"The Centre knows, The Triumvirate. You've started hearing the voices again. Just like you have in the past."

Miss Parker raised her eyebrows at that.

"You told me about one of those times. You said you took your skip out on the lake. It had a leak and it sank. You almost drowned because no one came for you. But you survived. You survived because the voices were speaking to you."

Parker swallowed hard thinking back to one of the most terrifying times of her life. "What do you know about it?"

"I know what it feels like too. I've heard the voices inside my head too." He paused and she saw a vulnerability came over his face. "When I was in Thailand, I had a unique experience."

"Eating people could be called that."

Lyle laughed at her corny joke. "I know how it must seems. But I changed. Became a different person. I came alive, Parker!"

Miss Parker was stunned speechless.

He shook his head. "You're horrified but deep down...you're also wondering what it's like..."

"No, I'm not."

"There's nothing like the first time, Parker." He tried to entice her. "As I was considering whether I should or not, I heard the voices Sis!"

Lyle's face was lit up like a small boy at Christmas. "They told me to take my power! I picked up a still warm heart in my hand..."

"Stop it!"

He grinned and leaned and spoke softly. "Tasted like...oysters." He laughed at his own joke. "Did you think I was going to say chicken?"

She couldn't look at him. "You're sick!"

"I'm an immortal."

"What?"

"My Inner Sense told me to embrace my divinity."

"That's not an Inner Sense! It's schizophrenia!"

"I knew you'd say that."

Lyle came up to her and with his finger pushed a tendril of hair away from her face. "I can feel you too sometimes."

"You're a liar!" She said pushing his filthy hand away. "I would know! What is this? You're trying to convince me of some special twin bond that comes from eating human flesh?"

"Do you remember the Hillman Marina in Connecticut?"

"You mean where I had you at gunpoint?"

Lyle smiled. He knew she was replaying that encounter in her head the same as he was.

"_So they sent you to clean up. You really gonna kill me" Lyle asked her. Almost sure of the answer. _

_Miss Parker was anything but sure. "That's up to you." Parker wanted him to make a move. She needed a reason to justify...murder."_

"_Then why are you still talking about it? Not as easy as it looks, is it? You know why you don't want to kill me? Because you are me. It's a natural desire for people like us to dominate and define."_

"_You and I have nothing in common."_

"_We... We both recognize that this notion of human equality just perpetuates mediocrity. But we're not mediocre, are we Miss Parker? We're independent. And independence, it's a privilege of the strong. Tell me Miss Parker, how strong are you?"_

"_Strong enough." And she could be. Her father needed her to be strong enough._

"_How strong are you?"_

"_Test me."_

The Phi Ta Khon legend, the lovers forbidden, they were twins! Twins that received their divinity from the spirits, the voices!

Parker recoiled from the madman in front of her. "NO!"

"You and I discovered a connection that night, Miss Parker. Something wouldn't allow you to kill your twin. Because you are my other half!"

"We had nothing!" Then she saw something in Lyle she never thought she'd ever see.

"You know when someone loses their twin they're supposed to feel emptiness… as though a limb is a missing. Did you ever feel that emptiness, Parker? I did! I felt it until the moment I embraced my immortality! You can find yours too! It's the only thing that will make you whole, Parker!"

She couldn't believe what she was hearing! He acted as though he really cared about her but he was asking her to... "So you want me to join your Cannibal Club?"

She pushed away from Lyle, creeped out by his closeness. He was dangerous and unpredictable.

"Do you remember what I said to you when we faced each other down in Connecticut? People like us were born to dominate and define We are not like the other people."

Miss Parker was annoyed. "That was a whole lot bullshit that you were spreading to talk yourself out of a bullet!"

"Independence, is a privilege of the strong." He reminded her. "How strong are you?"

She was furious now! "Test me!"

Lyle was thrilled to see her dormant angry spirit rise. "I will."

She instantly regretted speaking those words.

Lyle walked back to the house from the gardens, opened doors which lead into another room and motioned for her accompany him.

Parker stood where she was, afraid to go anywhere with him. She considered if she could make a run for it and decided against it. Her psycho brother was only interested in her demise.

"I want to give you something Miss Parker. From the bottom of my heart."

"You mean you have one?"

"I promise you that this," He pointed toward the next room. "…is something you've been waiting for your most of your life."

Lyle knew her. She wouldn't resist. She'd be drawn to his gift. He watched as she came forward. He breathed in the radiated presence she gave off! Like a Renaissance painting he could almost see the aura of light painted around her! She was more superior to anyone around her. But totally unaware of it. That was her fatal flaw, her Achilles heel. He understood his sister's need to "slum" once and awhile and he'd forgiven her for giving into passion with the carpenter, even Jarod. Her sheer intensity and fire…. He wanted more than anything to see that fire burn at its hottest! To see the violence he'd seen earlier the other day in the Sim Lab. He wanted to see her ignited by her newly found divine fury.

But as she had said on many occasions. _'You've never seen me angry!'_

_'I've also never seen you in the throes of passion. But that can change.' He thought. _

_He salivated at the thought of sharing the ultimate acts of violence and sex with his other half. The only other person _

Parker walked through to the next room and choked on the strong odor of incense in the air. She stopped to get her bearings.

"Sorry. I think my followers went a little overboard."

"Followers? What do you mean?"

"I believe you called them my Cannibal Club. They prepared my sanctuary just for this moment. I wanted everything to be just right. Purification and prayers."

"You have a cult?"

"People who believe in me. Who believe in us."

She began to cough and Lyle offered her a cup. "Are you… saying you have actual worshipers, Lyle?"

She drinks to get the smoke out of her throat and eyes. "Eww."

"Sorry, Parker. No Scotch. Just honey and milk."

After clearing her throat and eyes. She looked up again and turned around. Looking through the fogginess of the incense she saw that the room was really like an altar room. "So what am I doing here? What is it I've been waiting for most of my life?"

That's when she heard the wheezing. Lyle pushed her forward to the head of the altar where she could see Raines chained by his limbs to it. He was awake but seemed to be drifting, perhaps under the influence of some drug. At that moment she felt cold iron placed in her hand. Lyle had placed an ornate golden dagger with demons carved on the ivory hilt in her hand.

"If you thought I was ever going to eat human flesh, Lyle... Especially any part of that decrepit old bastard!"

"The power you'd receive from the death of your greatest enemy is unimaginable, Miss Parker! You'd finally end the sufferings of the dead!"

For a few seconds, she relished the thought of Raines dead and her mother finally at peace. But...

Lyle smiled at her and shook his head. "It's always the same inner struggle with you! Trust, Lyle or don't trust Lyle! "Do you know what he did to us as babies? What he did to our mother?"

Lyle was irate now. He came at Parker and shook her. She was ready to defend herself.

She looked away. She was truly sad for Bobby Bowman. But she had to remember this wasn't Bobby anymore.

She said trying to be calm. Her brother had cornered her. He was so close she could feel his heart beat nearly out of his chest but she also felt something else that alarmed her. Lyle was sexually excited.

"You know twins share one thing in common. A sacred love for their mother." His eyes never left his sister's, " that's why I brought you here. Closure. Catherine Parker gave us life. I want to give you immortality. This dagger is ceremonial. It's used to sacrifice animals on behalf of the unavenged." Lyle crossed his arms and sighed. "You know you always have been a small thinker! How many times have you begged for the chance to avenge Catherine's death? What are you waiting for a jury? Judge Judy?"

Parker didn't believe in Lyle's delusions of twin divinity but she suddenly felt guilty that she wasn't jumping at what she'd sought for the last few years. The chance to avenge her mother.

"I was a pretty good biology student dissecting frogs but I don't suppose I could start on something easy before I start on human sacrifice. Like a goat or a pig?"

"This is the biggest pig I could find." He added dryly.

She approached Raines. He lie there with his large frightened eyes on hers.

What Lyle said was true. This man had beaten her mother, kidnapped Lyle and tortured Jarod and Angelo! Then she remembered the DSA of Ethan's birth. How the cold blooded reptile had come back into the OR and shot her mother in the head right after she'd given birth. He had stolen another child from her. This was her mother's assassin! She should wanted him dead!

_'Remember what you've learned' her mother's voice said._

Parker was suddenly overcome. She had a vision of Sydney facing Werner Krieg with a gun. The old Nazi who had taken a young Sydney and Jacob for the purpose of performing tests on them because they were twins. Sydney had walked away from revenge but Krieg was brought to justice. He'd been later deported to Israel for trial. Then she saw Brigitte confessing to Tommy's murder even as she lay dying. Jarod had turned away from revenge. He could have brought the wrath of God down upon the Centre if he wanted but he concentrated on healing himself, by helping others.

Miss Parker's hand shook with the dagger. Lyle lifted the hand and kissed it. "Come on, Sis. You're a Parker. This is part of who you are."

That made the decision for her.

"No!" Instead she pushed the dagger to his throat. "It's not!"

"OK, OK!" He tried to soothe her and lifted his hands in the air. But having anticipated her weakness, Lyle used his left hand to distract her while he twisted the dagger out of her hand.

"Not even for your mother!" He slapped her across the face and pushed her across the room. "I'm not surprised and yet I hoped you could overcome this! That you could feel the voices guiding you!"

"Lyle…"

"NO! We will finish this!"

She watched in horror as her brother stalked up to the altar slit Raines about the belly from one side to another. Lyle then disemboweled him causing a stench to rise in the air and blood to splatters the walls. Raines who was still alive quivered, hovering between life and death. But not for long.

"Do you hear them Parker? Let me show you what you missed!"

Gleefully, he leaned over Raines and stuck his hand inside to grab an unrecognizable organ. Raines was bleeding out and to weak to scream. Lyle swished his hand around inside the bowels like a child playing in a water fountain. He finally pulled out a heavy oblong organ. Then he looked at her. Lyle was different, almost feral...

Then she heard them. The voices were louder than she'd ever heard them. It was like an audio visual bomb of color and sound went off in her head! She looked at Lyle, wondering if he heard them too. But he was already feasting!

She watched him through a haze. Lyle's body was lit with an aura of lightening! She scarcely noticed the blood and gore left on his face and clothes. After the light show surrounding him diminished and finally disappeared he turned his attention back to her.

Miss Parker got up from the floor afraid that Lyle would seek to devour her! She looked around for something to defend herself!

"Have you any idea how close to godlike you really are, Parker? How you have cheapened yourself with…"

"With mere mortals, is that right?" She was terrified, unsure of what she had just witnessed!

"The surprising thing about your relationship with that carpenter was that everyone else was willing to let you walk away!"

This stunned Parker. "What are you talking about!" She yelled. "Brigitte killed Thomas on order from the Centre!"

Lyle crept closer, wiping the blood from his mouth.

"Raines would have killed Gates but Dad threatened him to stay away from you! Dad just gave in to his baby girl! You know what he said to me! 'She'll be back, Lyle. She's like her mother. A free spirit. But she'll come back. This is where she belongs!'"

_'Could Daddy have known about Momma and Ben all along? And just accepted it?' She thought_

Lyle continued to rant. "That was unacceptable, Parker."

She bit her lip and prayed she was wrong about what was coming. She never questioned that anyone other than Brigitte could have ordered Thomas' murder. But Brigitte had said the order came anonymously.

"You….you ordered the hit on Thomas?"

"You have to understand, Sis. You're a Red File for God's sake! You've been bred to be the next step in human development. You're not like ordinary people! You're not meant for people like that!"

"And just who am I meant for!"

It was clear that desire was written all over him.

Before she had a chance to be sick, he reached for her and they tussled. A wild struggle for the dagger took place across the room. Miss Parker fought with new determination to kill Lyle before he killed her.

Lyle had never seen his sister like this! Her fury or vengeance so unleashed! And he had never wanted her more! He was more determined to subdue her! Using his male strength against her, he rolled on top of her and pinned her to the floor!

"I wanted it to be your choice, Sis. But so be it!"


	9. Threshold

**Angel Sight: Threshold**

*****This chapter has been edited with plot changes.*****

_Disclaimer: _I do not own, nor claim to own The Pretender or any characters mentioned herein the plot is all I can claim, no infringement is intended, and no money will be made.

_Timeline: This takes place shortly after Island of the Haunted._

_**Author's note: **_

_**Sorry this took so long. It was long birthing process. Also I know some of you are guessing that I am the author who penned Dark Side of the Moon...nope, sorry. I am me. Just me. But I liked Dark Side of the Moon. It was an interesting take on the Pretender series. Good adventure. But this isn't like that. The last chapter isn't representative of this series. **_

_**Anyway, enjoy as it starts to get a little crazier!**_

_Catherine cried out and looked at the two men in front of her and held her palm to her face. Already her cheek had reddened where she'd been slapped. "How dare you!" _

"_I know what you're planning! And it's never going to happen!"_

"_I don't know what you mean." She said and tried to remain calm._

_Mr. Parker walked to the bar. "We have your list, Catherine. The list of seven children you were planning on smuggling out of the Centre!" _

"_You're spying on me? Following me? Going through my things?"_

"_You left us no choice." Raines threatened in a low voice. "You've compromised the Centre."_

"_No I've compromised your kidnapping operation, Mr. Raines! Seth, you cannot keep these children locked up for life!"_

_Mr. Parker stiffened when she said his name aloud. "Keep your voice down. You know our daughter's in the next room."_

_He went over to Catherine and took her left hand. "Now we can put this all behind us, sweetheart." He held her diamond ring and pushed it forcefully back on her ring finger. "Just promise to stay out of Centre business. No more rescue attempts, Catherine. Then we'll all go back into the dining room and finish our holiday meal. What do you say?"_

_She pulled the ring off again and threw it back at him again. "I told you that I'd never wear that again!" _

_Before the words were out of her mouth, Catherine felt a punch to her gut! Followed by successive hits to her torso. _

"_Stop it! Please stop!" She pleaded. She looked to Raines. He just stood there exhaling cigarette smoke. He watched each blow and kick with complete indifference._

"_Momma?" A small voice was heard on the other side of the door._

_Mr. Parker never missed a stride. He pulled his wife to her feet. She screamed and held her fractured ribs in pain. _

"_Thank you, Mr. Raines for the information. I think I can handle this from here."_

"_See that you do or the Triumvirate will handle her for you." Raines found an ashtray on a nearby end table and put out his butt. He looked back at Mr. Parker and Catherine with contempt and left the room through a side door in the den._

"_No more, Seth." Catherine whispered, barely able to breathe._

"_Not until we've come to an understanding!" Mr. Parker raged._

_Again, they both heard the little girl pleading through the door._

"_Go to the door and tell her everything's fine. To go eat her dinner and go to bed."_

"_Everything is not fine!" Catherine said angrily. "Why don't you tell your daughter what you have planned for her!"_

"_Tell her NOW!"_

_Part of Catherine wanted to run, snatch her daughter and head for Europe tonight. But she had to think of Jarod, Timmy and the others. Seth and Dr. Raines hadn't deduced all her plans. She needed more time._

_She pulled her arm from Seth Parker's grasp and stumbled to the door. On the way to the door, she saw her reflection in a mirror. Already her face was swollen and bruised. She pulled her fingers through her hair to comb it back into place. She licked her cut and bloody lower lip painfully. _

_Catherine cracked open the den door and saw her daughter's terrified face. The girl was afraid of the terrible storm that was raging outside and inside the house._

"_It's okay sweetheart. Mom's all right." Unable to look her in they eye anymore, Catherine closed the door. When she turned around there her own swollen face stared back at her. But something was out of place…she didn't look the same, and it wasn't the bruises. _

"_We're not done, Catherine."_

_She ignored her husband. She was intrigued by the reflection."This isn't me." She thought. And then she realized…._

_Her realization was interrupted with a blow to the back of the head. The impact knocked her into the piano nearby._

"_Stop! Please, stop!" She screamed from the floor. She turned her head to avoid his blows. Then she saw herself in the glossy surface of the piano._

"_I'm not you…" She said stubbornly as she passed out._

_The reflection of Catherine Parker in the mirror hadn't moved when her daughter collapsed. _

"_You are now."_

Broots flipped through blueprints at Miss Parker's desk. When his phone rang, confusion was still evident on his face.

"Broots!" He answered in his man-squeak as several of the blueprints flew off the desk.

"It's Jarod." The anxious Pretender sat in his car. "I'm at the address you gave me or trying to get there. There are sweepers everywhere."

"Yeah, I know. I was working on getting you around them. I was able to get Nigel in the Properties Development offices to blow up some specs of that property for me."

"And?

"You're not gonna believe this! Lyle has built a mega fortress on the beach. I hacked his expense report, his purchases and travel receipts for the last few months. It's like he's furnishing some kind Asian temple or something…"

"Interesting, Mr. Broots but it doesn't help me get in!" Jarod said in exasperation.

"Ok, Ok!" Broots plowed through the blueprint rolls again, while on the phone. "It looks like there's an entrance into the property up the service road."

Jarod looked up at the estate that sat high on stony rocks above the ocean. A narrow service road snaked to the east of the property.

Jarod left the car and started on foot up the service road careful to stay out of sight. Broots navigated. "Look for a small opening in the rock face. It's an air shaft. It should have an iron grill, bars covering the opening. The shaft is a straight shot upwards into the basement."

"I see it from here! I'll call you back when I make it in. Thanks!" He hung up and put the phone in his jacket pocket.

Just as Broots had said the air shaft was in the side of the rock face adjoining the house. Unfortunately the space between the bars that protected the shaft was too narrow to crawl between. A small hope flared as Jarod pushed, then kicked at one of the bars. The sea air over time had corroded them. It took him nearly twenty minutes but he was able to work two of the bars from their fittings and push them to the side far enough to squeeze his body into the shaft.

Inside the shaft, it was hot, dark, musty and overgrown with mold. As hot as it was, Jarod was glad he kept his leather jacket on. He slowly inched his way upward. He took out the flashlight he'd taken from the car's glove compartment to find footings. Sea rats scurried to and fro avoiding the illumination.

_"One of these days, I'll get to use the front door!" He complained._

He pushed his way deeper into the vent and prayed it lead to the basement as Broots had said.

_"It's about time." A familiar woman's voice teased Miss Parker._

_Somehow the familiar voice broke through despite her throbbing headache. "Mom?" Parker opened her eyes to find eyes as gray as her own. _

_"Relax, sweetheart."_

_Miss Parker was freaked as she saw that she was in her father's office, sitting in his chair. The same office she'd been berated, denounced and dressed down in too many times._

_"Don't you mean the Chairman's chair? After all, your father's been gone quite awhile, hasn't he?" _

_Her mother answered her thought. "How did you know what I was thinking? OUCH!" A sharp pain in her midsection cut off her question. Then Parker remembered being struck by….by…. She put hands to her face and felt the swelling. Her father? Was that real? _

_Catherine reached out and took one of her daughter's hands tentatively. Parker gasped and had the urge to pull away. But she was real! She felt real! Her mother was not an apparition. This vision was very unlike when Catherine had come out of the smoke and saved her in the subway tunnel after the explosion in Washington. _

"_But it must be another hallucination. I'm in shock or something." She told herself. Then she remembered Lyle had pinned her to the floor. "Maybe Lyle knocked me out or drugged me." _

_What was real? Her struggle with Lyle or her father's attack? She closed her eyes and tried to remember. At that moment, gentle fingers stroked her hair and the nape of her neck._

_"Keep taking deep breaths. You're experiencing two realities at once." Her mother advised. "That was __my__ beating you experienced. You know, since that Thanksgiving, I was more determined than ever to take you away from the Centre and your father." _

_Parker was near panic. "I don't understand! What do you mean I'm experiencing two realities?" _

_She felt her mother push her back into the office chair. A cool cloth emerged and she placed it over her daughter's eyes. It shut out the bright light from the windows in the office and gave much needed relief to Miss Parker's headache. _

"_Do you remember… our studio? How we talked all night sometimes in the moonlight? I know it's been a long time but…." _

_Parker took the cloth off her face and sat up. "How could I ever forget?" She said softly._

_Catherine was delighted that nothing had tainted her daughter's memory of that time or of her. She straightened to face her daughter. "When you were a child, you had a very rich fantasy life. Sometimes during the day, I would see you sitting or standing, whispering to no one in particular. And each morning you'd wake and tell me about your strange and fantastic dreams. At the time I thought you were just lonely since your father kept you so isolated. I assumed that you had created invisible friends…."_

"_But they weren't?"_

_Catherine shook her head. "You told me you went to have t__ea parties with the voices. You said you climbed through the fireplace in the studio and to the funny place a__nd then would come back again through the fireplace. I didn't think anything of your stories. I had the Inner Sense when I was young. I thought the voices were entertaining you with tall tales... until I witnessed you having an episode, a trance. You began speaking in different voices all at the same time! This wasn't how my own Inner Sense worked and it frightened me. _

"_You must have thought I was schizophrenic or mentally ill."_

"_I couldn't believe that. But I wasn't sure what to think. Then one day you went missing. Your nurse couldn't find you anywhere. We looked for you all over…After an hour of searching I heard you crying in your closet. We had looked in that closet a dozen times but there you were all of a sudden hiding. When you calmed down, you told me that you had gotten lost and wound up somewhere completely different with scary people." _

"_That's when you took me to see Sydney?" Parker wondered._

"_Yes. I let Sydney test your brain functions. I knew that you were extremely bright but you tested at genius level! Your talents for languages and music, even memory were unbelievable! Sydney found irregular activity in your temporal lobes. He told me that those talents are temporal lobe functions but so were your hypnagogic state." She explained further. "Hypnagogia is a deeply relaxed state of consciousness that opens the mind to creative thought and intuition. He speculated that that your brain may have the ability to tap into other states of consciousness. Different realities."_

"_He never told me this."_

"_I wanted to keep it a medical confidence. I guess Sydney is still keeping that confidence. But your father found out eventually."_

"_So you think I have the ability to go to different realities?" _

"_Aren't you experiencing one now? How can you be speaking to your dead mother? How is it that you changed places with me and took a beating that happened to me in 1969? These aren't visions of the past or future. You've penetrated different realities."_

_Miss Parker couldn't reply. "So what did Raines do to me? What was that machine? The one Raines put me in after you…"_

"_Died" Catherine finished for her. "Raines had proposed putting you into a deliberate hypnagogic state. The chamber was designed to deliver various low intensity magnetic signals to the temporal lobes. I opposed Dr. Raines. I tried to convince your father that it was unconscionable to experiment on his own child. He was more afraid of the side effects ruining your abilities. In the end he forbid it. _

_I had no doubt that once I was out of the way, your father would use your ability. It must have been too enticing. The evolutionary possibility of a further expansion of consciousness, different realities. _

_I never found the importance of the Centre using you and your ability. Nevertheless Mr. Parker's goal had always been to bring about the prophecies of the Scrolls. Your Great grandfather said that the Scrolls would bring unlimited power to the one who has the Chosen and the Angel under his control." Catherine paused. _

"_Is that what the Scrolls say, Mom? Jarod is the Chosen? And I'm the Angel? What does it all mean? "I don't understand."_

"_Did you know that in the Parker family there's never been a girl child since…"_

"_Since the Cryptkeeper's daughter, Angel." Parker looked wearily at her mother._

"_You know about her?" _

"_Just that she was burned alive with the rest of her family and that Great-grandfather Parker made some sort of Faustian deal for power. Jarod and I went to Carthis to find answers. We found the Scrolls, Mom. But they're gone now. Daddy destroyed them, he jumped into the sea with them... They're gone forever..."_

"_The evil of the Scrolls is only beginning." Catherine whispered to the air. "I had hoped to find them….I wanted to put an end to the power they held. But it seems that even though they've been lost, those prophecies still hold you and Jarod captive. I was able to learn the first line of the Scrolls. They reference you and Jarod. '__The Centre shall rise. The Chosen will be found, a boy named... Jarod. The Angel has the Sight, born from the Parker line...' The Centre and the Triumvirate will always keep your freedom from you. And from Jarod."_

_It was what Miss Parker always suspected. Mr. Parker had only dangled the carrot of freedom in front of her. He never intended to let her leave the Centre. Lyle had told her it was why Thomas Gates was killed. "What can we do?" A frustrated Parker barked. _

_She watched as Catherine came and sat on the desktop to be near her. "What do the voices say? Use your Inner Sense to find out how to destroy the Scrolls' power."_

Jarod was nearly at the end of the shaft. There was a light at the end of the tunnel which he assumed came from the basement.

The basement air shaft vent had no bars only a small vent cover. He kicked it off easily and jumped down into the room. Regrettably, he jumped right into the butt of a Sweeper's gun.

Jarod held his gut and tried to regain his breath and footing however two burly sweepers surrounded him. "Been waiting for you." One of them said.

Jarod faced them. Just then the phone in his jacket rang! Jarod took the opportunity of the distraction to use his flashlight to knock one of the Sweeper senseless! The other sweeper's legs were swept from under him with a low level kick and a punch from Jarod that landed him against a wall.

When they were disarmed and cuffed with their own handcuffs to a water pipe, Jarod took their guns and left the basement. Luckily like all old basement doors they locked from the outside. He took time to dust off, draw a gun and then head upstairs.

_Parker wasn't sure how to just turn on her Inner Sense. She decided to concentrate on a random object as she had to find Jarod. She leaned forward to find something on the desk. As she was searching for an appropriate object, something just appeared on the desk. A framed photo had just faded in from thin air! Without fear she picked it up. It was the strange photo that she and Jarod had been sent by email of their mothers! The two women stood together in front of a skull coat of arms. The same deadly coat of arms she'd seen in Carthis on the tomb of the dead monk who wrote the cursed scrolls._

"_Margaret and I searched for answers to the Scrolls together."_

"_She still is. We saw her on Carthis briefly. She was shot but got away." _

_Miss Parker's deepest instincts kicked in hard. She needed to find Margaret. "They want her dead, Mom. She has something to tell us. She knows a secret that can help us. But how can I find her?"_

_Suddenly there was a heavy pressure and Miss Parker felt herself literally having exchanged places with her mother's photographic image. She was even more startled when Margaret turned to her._

"_Help me, Catherine! Help me save my son!"_

_Parker was more than a little freaked. She could barely believe that this was real! "How?" _

_Margaret pointed up and despite her fear Parker looked to where the red haired woman pointed. In the distance, she saw a huge alabaster statue of a lady atop a mountain. "Where do I find her?"_

_Suddenly Parker was back to herself. _

_"Find her." Catherine confirmed. "Margaret can help you both end this!"_

"_I need to tell Jarod. He's been looking for his mother for years. But I'm no hero, Mom. I'm not like Jarod. You can't imagine… the hideous things that I've witnessed, even been an accomplice to." Miss Parker looked down at her hands and was afraid to look up at her mother. She was afraid to confess her sins. But she felt her chin being lifted._

_"Oh God, yes I can. You don't know everything! Maybe this is purgatory and not some alternate reality, you found me in! I never meant to hurt you…Everything I did was all for you."_

"_You never hurt me…Momma you never hurt anyone! You protected us! I know about what you did for the children at the Centre. I know about the children you rescued."_

_Catherine could feel her body retreat from this faux world. She was grateful for the little time she'd spent with her daughter. "I know what they told you about me! That I committed suicide! That I abandoned you!"_

_"I know that's not true now." She says quietly._

_"But you still believe that I abandoned you deep down!" Catherine insisted. "It isn't true! When I went away...when I faked my death, I never gave up my plan of coming back for you! Not ever!"_

_The world began to come apart for Miss Parker then! She noticed that the room had been enveloped by swirling particles moving from side to side very quickly. They were flowing, but all separate. Then invisible hands touched her and pulled at her. She fought against them. But she fought alone. Her mother had vanished. _

_Catherine was gone but Miss Parker called for her anyway. "Mom!" She stood and cried out to thin air. "Don't leave me!"_

_Before her eyes the sleek chrome and glass doors opened by themselves and a threshold was revealed. The hands pulled and shoved Miss Parker toward it. _

_Even more unreal, Parker heard music as she was dragged to the threshold. A bizarre symphony played and as strange as it sounded, it was familiar! This was her music! She'd written this music!_

_The weird musical score accompanied her back through the rabbit hole!_

Jarod finally made it into the main part of the house. He looked around for signs of Miss Parker or Lyle. He came to the conclusion, no one in this part of the house and that made him nervous. It was immaculate. He saw nothing out of place until he entered the main room.

...Signs of a struggle! No, a knockdown, drag out fight! Broken pottery and tossed over furniture, artwork askew. And blood!

But what was Lyle doing to her? It was obvious now that cutting off visitation to Tommy and the video of St. Louis was just a ruse to lure her into this trap. But why did he bring her here?

Jarod knew if had been Miss Parker's blood she would have put up a hell of a fight! He just knew she was still alive. His first priority was to find her.

He found another door and opened it. The remains of stale incense in the air hit him. Next to the entrance was a goblet on a pedestal. Jarod picked it up. It was milk and it smelled of honey. He put a finger into the mixture and dabbed a bit onto his tongue. There was something gritty in the mixture. He had no equipment to analyze it but he guessed that it contained a ground or powdered sedative. He didn't know why he wasn't surprised.

"_What was this place? Did Lyle use this place to bring his victims? Drug them and …."_

Jarod wasn't going to let Parker become another victim of Lyle's. He made his way forward to the front of the room. Before he could think of where to look for Miss Parker next, he smelled the indistinguishable odor of a corpse.

On the decorated but bloody altar was. Raines! His corpse was slit open from stem to stern with organs spilling out! With a few missing!

"What the hell!"

Now he was really afraid! He had to find Miss Parker! He had to find her alive! He turned and made his way back to the hall to search when he saw thin blood trails that led from the altar to the far wall. There were two large golden friezes that went from ceiling to floor. The friezes depicted a Thai man and a Thai woman in traditional dress, both were followed by spirit attendants. As Jarod went closer he could see that one of the friezes was actually a door. He pulled it open.

Jarod stepped behind the door into comfortable apartments. It had been similarly messed about but less so. The blood trail from the altar which he prayed was Raines' blood trailed across the marble floor of the vacant contemporary apartment.

Still Jarod heard nothing. He moved from room to room when he heard movement in what must have been the bedroom. Jarod cocked his gun and was ready to use it! He burst into the bedroom, searching.

Lyle lay on the floor of the bedroom in a pool of his own blood. When Jarod moved forward cautiously, he saw that he'd been stabbed several times.

Jarod leaned over him and demanded, "Where is she?"

Lyle had unfortunately not yet sung his swan song. Although unable to do barely more than whisper from his bloody mouth he laughed, "She's a true Parker now." He said as he took in his wounds.

"Anything she did to you, you probably had coming and worse! Now where is she?"

"Did you see how she cut up Raines? She finally got her revenge for Mommy's death." Lyle coughed proudly. "She's good with a knife. Very good."

"Miss Parker didn't do this! She couldn't!"

"Don't you wish that to be true. You still hope that your childhood friend won't embrace who she really is?" Lyle mocked the Pretender.

Jarod hated that he was beginning to doubt. "You drugged her! She probably didn't know what she was doing!"

"Didn't have to drug her, Jarod. She knew what she was doing." He lolled as he lay dying, "It's just the Parker legacy."

Jarod was horrified and he wasn't interested in debating the Parker curse! He had to find Miss Parker! Lyle had talked about Miss Parker in present tense. That meant she was alive! No matter what had happened here. Parker was alive! He could help her!

He left Lyle in the apartment, sure that he'd never see the psychopath again! He went back through the altar room and into the main hall. He started for the upstairs when he noticed that there was a terrace at the end of the main hall. Its glass doors were open.

Jarod crept up to the doors and looked out. More beautiful than the ocean view, Miss Parker stood there, swaying oddly. Her suit from this morning was a bit rumpled and she cradled her midsection as though it were hard to breathe. He stepped closer but she didn't acknowledge his movement at all!

He looked over the side of the railing and cautioned her. "Trust me, it's too far down."

Parker jumped when she finally felt him approach. On autopilot she pulled the dagger out in front of her for defense!

"It's me!" He told her calmly. "It's Jarod."

Miss Parker didn't seem to respond to him or recognize him. Jarod recognized it as shock. Her eyes were wild and darted all around looking for a way around him.

"Miss Parker please listen to me."

Her attention shifted to him. She looked as if she was going to be sick. "I'm not sure where…Where are we? Is this real?" She asked in whisper.

"It's very real." Jarod paused before going over to her. Afraid that he'd spook her further, he took the dagger from her and tossed it away. "I know about Lyle. You defended yourself, Parker. I wouldn't expect less."

At the mention of Lyle's name, Parker sobbed and her ribs ached, reminding her of another time and place she'd visited.

"You're hurt. Will you let me take a look at those bruises?"

Parker nodded obediently and went to Jarod as though she were a small child. Immediately, a relieved Jarod took the dagger from her hand and tossed it to the floor. He took Parker in his arms but she responded by recoiling.

"You smell!" she said weakly.

Jarod laughed out loud. "Well, thank you! You try crawling up a moldy air duct and see how you smell afterward!"

She had no feisty reply, only an empty stare. Shock seemed to be setting in again.

"C'mon let's go." He escorted her through the empty house to the front door. Jarod spied on two sweepers discreetly from the bay windows. They guarded the Centre limos that brought her there. He made up his mind to steal one. "When I open the door, run for the front limo and get in the passenger side, ok?" He instructed her.

A dumbstruck Parker nodded.

Jarod took a breath and quickly swung open the door. He aimed at the sweeper that guarded the rear and shot him. Miss Parker did as she was told and got into the limousine, as Jarod fought with the last sweeper. He was able to knock him out long enough to jump into the driver's side and crank the ignition. He barely missed the sweeper on the ground as he drove away.

"You know you might want to make it standard operating procedure for sweepers never to leave the keys in the car especially when a pretender is around." He joked to the woman next to him. But she still said nothing.

After leaving the area, Jarod had just pulled on the highway when his phone rang. He answered it and looked over at his passenger. She had said nothing since she last spoke to him at the house.

"Jarod! Where are you?" Sydney's upset voice came through the line.

"We're safe! I'm sorry I was going to call soon."

"What do you mean? What happened to Lyle?"

Jarod was silent. He looked over at Miss Parker who stared out the passenger side window with the look of the lost on her face.

As the silence grew, Sydney assumed that Mr. Lyle was dead. "Are you headed back?" He asked.

"Not yet." He said looking over at Parker. "I think we need a little peace. Listen you'll need to send out a cleanup team to pick up Lyle and Raines."

"Raines is dead too?"

"We're safe, Sydney. For now, that's all that matters." Jarod hung up and turned off his phone.


End file.
